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I'm so confused right now. I looked at the various links and cant believe I still can't figure this out. The kernel is windows or linux? How do I get or run thi

I'm so confused right now. I looked at the various links and cant believe I still can't figure this out. The kernel is windows or linux? How do I get or run this? I install windows and then this? Someone help me out here!

jamesgeck0 8y ago
WSL is a Windows 10 feature that allows you to run Linux applications on the NT kernel. It's not a 100% complete implementation of every Linux kernel API (yet?) but it's far enough along that you can run a lot of interesting software. https://www.hanselman.com/blog/TheYearOfLinuxOnTheWindowsDesktopWSLTipsAndTricks.aspx https://www.hanselman.com/blog/TheYearOfLinuxOnTheWindowsDes... Pengwin looks like a Linux distro that removes the parts of a traditional distro that don't make sense in WSL and streamlines things that are still somewhat difficult in WSL, like getting X applications running.
- h1d 8y ago
  I get it that WSL is easy for anyone to use but why not just run a real Linux in VMware or VirtualBox and you'll have 100% compatible Linux environment. Prebuilt OS image is just a single download and deploy.
  - jamesgeck0 8y ago
    Because I don't need a 100% compatible environment. WSL has better host integration and better performance in my experience, and it runs my development stack fine.
    - GordonS 8y ago
      Was going to say much the same thing, plus it starts instantaneously, vs a minimum of several seconds for a VM
cpuguy83 8y ago
WSL is Windows Subsystem for Linux, and it is part of Windows. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10 It translates Linux system calls into Windows. This allows you to run a Linux userspace on Windows. The Windows store has (for free) installable distros for Ubuntu, Debian, and others.
squarefoot 8y ago
Essentially WSL is to Linux what WINE has been for years to Windows: it translates Linux system calls natively to Windows ones so that Linux binaries can be executed on Windows without any recompiling or virtualization. Technically is a great milestone, but there are some risks: suppose one day Microsoft implements a way to use Windows GUI elements or other resources directly from Linux binaries and people starts writing "Linux" software that uses the new capabilities, de facto requiring WSL (ie Windows) to be run, how many Linux users would jump ship? My only fear is that Microsoft could be planning to do just that.
- jamesgeck0 8y ago
  That seems improbable, although the reverse is happening. When Flatpak support is complete, it'll be possible to have desktop application packages that just work on both Windows and Linux.

jamesgeck0 8y ago

WSL is a Windows 10 feature that allows you to run Linux applications on the NT kernel. It's not a 100% complete implementation of every Linux kernel API (yet?) but it's far enough along that you can run a lot of interesting software. https://www.hanselman.com/blog/TheYearOfLinuxOnTheWindowsDesktopWSLTipsAndTricks.aspx https://www.hanselman.com/blog/TheYearOfLinuxOnTheWindowsDes... Pengwin looks like a Linux distro that removes the parts of a traditional distro that don't make sense in WSL and streamlines things that are still somewhat difficult in WSL, like getting X applications running.

h1d 8y ago
I get it that WSL is easy for anyone to use but why not just run a real Linux in VMware or VirtualBox and you'll have 100% compatible Linux environment. Prebuilt OS image is just a single download and deploy.
- jamesgeck0 8y ago
  Because I don't need a 100% compatible environment. WSL has better host integration and better performance in my experience, and it runs my development stack fine.
  - GordonS 8y ago
    Was going to say much the same thing, plus it starts instantaneously, vs a minimum of several seconds for a VM

cpuguy83 8y ago

WSL is Windows Subsystem for Linux, and it is part of Windows. https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10 https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-win10 It translates Linux system calls into Windows. This allows you to run a Linux userspace on Windows. The Windows store has (for free) installable distros for Ubuntu, Debian, and others.

squarefoot 8y ago

Essentially WSL is to Linux what WINE has been for years to Windows: it translates Linux system calls natively to Windows ones so that Linux binaries can be executed on Windows without any recompiling or virtualization. Technically is a great milestone, but there are some risks: suppose one day Microsoft implements a way to use Windows GUI elements or other resources directly from Linux binaries and people starts writing "Linux" software that uses the new capabilities, de facto requiring WSL (ie Windows) to be run, how many Linux users would jump ship? My only fear is that Microsoft could be planning to do just that.

jamesgeck0 8y ago
That seems improbable, although the reverse is happening. When Flatpak support is complete, it'll be possible to have desktop application packages that just work on both Windows and Linux.