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I always thought “Windows Subsystem for Linux” was phrased backwards and should have been “Linux Subsystem for Windows”. It threw me for a loop when I read that

I always thought “Windows Subsystem for Linux” was phrased backwards and should have been “Linux Subsystem for Windows”. It threw me for a loop when I read that phrasing on the readme.

morsch 5y ago
I think it's ambiguous either way.
- OJFord 5y ago
  I think 'Windows subsystem' is, but I agree with GP about 'for Linux'. I'd go with either 'WS of L', 'WLS', 'LWS', or 'LS for W'.
- sergeykish 5y ago
  Linux on Windows (VM)
jeremyjh 5y ago
Well, "Windows Subsystem" is a term that has existed for like 25 years; the kernel design for NT included this idea of subsystems that could provide compatibility layers or other functionality at a lower level of abstraction than a user-space library. They thought they needed this when they splintered from the partnership with IBM in the OS/2 project. In the early days of Windows NT, Windows Subsystems for OS/2 and for POSIX existed as as well as the win32 subsystem. I think the POSIX subsystem eventually became Subsystem for Unix Applications (SUA) which did have some users at some point, though I was never one of them. I think they did borrow at least ideas if not code from that project for the Linux subsystem.
- bayindirh 5y ago
  > I think the POSIX subsystem eventually became Subsystem for Unix Applications (SUA) which did have some users at some point... It had a bundle which had a NFS server or client, I don't remember. The only thing I remember is NFS functionality was a sure way to get BSODs. Every. Time. Towards end of its lifetime, SUA was re-purposed as a toolset to migrate UNIX environments to Windows, not to enable interoperability. The toolkit discontinued a year or two later IIRC.
- deleted 5y ago
  [deleted]
- mixmastamyk 5y ago
  Not with Windows shoehorned into the front? They were called “the X subsystem.”
mixmastamyk 5y ago
It’s backwards on purpose, from my understanding. Bad old days marketing folks still have the upper hand at ms.
em500 5y ago
"Because we cannot name something leading with a trademark owned by someone else." -- Rich Turner, former PM of WSL https://twitter.com/richturn_ms/status/1245481405947076610 https://twitter.com/richturn_ms/status/1245481405947076610
- wmf 5y ago
  So they can't use the obvious name Linux Subsystem for Windows but that still leaves other possible names.

I always thought “Windows Subsystem for Linux” was phrased backwards and should have been “Linux Subsystem for Windows”. It threw me for a loop when I read that phrasing on the readme.

morsch 5y ago

I think it's ambiguous either way.

OJFord 5y ago
I think 'Windows subsystem' is, but I agree with GP about 'for Linux'. I'd go with either 'WS of L', 'WLS', 'LWS', or 'LS for W'.
sergeykish 5y ago
Linux on Windows (VM)

jeremyjh 5y ago

Well, "Windows Subsystem" is a term that has existed for like 25 years; the kernel design for NT included this idea of subsystems that could provide compatibility layers or other functionality at a lower level of abstraction than a user-space library. They thought they needed this when they splintered from the partnership with IBM in the OS/2 project. In the early days of Windows NT, Windows Subsystems for OS/2 and for POSIX existed as as well as the win32 subsystem. I think the POSIX subsystem eventually became Subsystem for Unix Applications (SUA) which did have some users at some point, though I was never one of them. I think they did borrow at least ideas if not code from that project for the Linux subsystem.

bayindirh 5y ago
> I think the POSIX subsystem eventually became Subsystem for Unix Applications (SUA) which did have some users at some point... It had a bundle which had a NFS server or client, I don't remember. The only thing I remember is NFS functionality was a sure way to get BSODs. Every. Time. Towards end of its lifetime, SUA was re-purposed as a toolset to migrate UNIX environments to Windows, not to enable interoperability. The toolkit discontinued a year or two later IIRC.
deleted 5y ago
[deleted]
mixmastamyk 5y ago
Not with Windows shoehorned into the front? They were called “the X subsystem.”

mixmastamyk 5y ago

It’s backwards on purpose, from my understanding. Bad old days marketing folks still have the upper hand at ms.

em500 5y ago

"Because we cannot name something leading with a trademark owned by someone else." -- Rich Turner, former PM of WSL https://twitter.com/richturn_ms/status/1245481405947076610 https://twitter.com/richturn_ms/status/1245481405947076610

wmf 5y ago
So they can't use the obvious name Linux Subsystem for Windows but that still leaves other possible names.