4 ms·

This is kind of weird since much of the tech is shared with WSL. It also makes me question the future of WSL, though that would be insane to deprecate given it

This is kind of weird since much of the tech is shared with WSL. It also makes me question the future of WSL, though that would be insane to deprecate given it has worked miracles for rehabilitating Microsoft‘s image and Windows’ usability.

throwaway2990 3y ago
WSL is used heavily inside MS. It’s not going anywhere.
Kwpolska 3y ago
WSL is an important developer tool, with a lot of (paying corporate) users. WSA was a limited toy.
- alkonaut 3y ago
  WSA is apparently also a godsend for android app developers on windows.
  - Kwpolska 3y ago
    Eh, you can still use the SDK emulator, which is an x86_64 VM, and it has OK performance on reasonable hardware.
    - alkonaut 3y ago
      The argument I read from upset developers was that the WSA was so much better than other methods.
codeflo 3y ago
At this point, Linux is so integral to Microsoft's strategy that if anything, it's more likely that Microsoft would abandon the Windows kernel and rebuild the Windows UI on top of Linux. (To be clear, that's not going to happen, but it's also no longer at the "hell would freeze over" level of absurdity for Nadella's Microsoft.)
- Twirrim 3y ago
  They're even already producing their own Linux distribution, CBL-Mariner, https://github.com/microsoft/azurelinux https://github.com/microsoft/azurelinux
baq 3y ago
WSL is what makes Windows viable in ML/AI at all. They've made a correct (in hindsight it was genius, actually) decision to expose GPUs in WSL using Windows drivers and a shim in a vm. It works surprisingly well.
- diarrhea 3y ago
  I was under the impression ML/AI development works fine under Windows, as that’s where a lot of (data) scientists already are.
int_19h 3y ago
Much of the tech was shared with WSL1 (the one that emulates Linux syscalls). But these days WSL2 (the one that runs Linux in a VM) gets all the love.
- electroly 3y ago
  You're thinking of Project Astoria. WSA is a separate and much more recent project that uses a virtual machine like WSL2 does.
  - ComputerGuru 3y ago
    That’s why I’m surprised. It’s literally just maintaining a virtual machine image and some emulation, very little upkeep from Windows core. But it does seem like there was an Amazon component to this story.
linhns 3y ago
WSL1, which no one should use right now, may and should be deprecated. However, WSL2 should not go away since it has completely transformed the dev experience for the better.

throwaway2990 3y ago

WSL is used heavily inside MS. It’s not going anywhere.

Kwpolska 3y ago

WSL is an important developer tool, with a lot of (paying corporate) users. WSA was a limited toy.

alkonaut 3y ago
WSA is apparently also a godsend for android app developers on windows.
- Kwpolska 3y ago
  Eh, you can still use the SDK emulator, which is an x86_64 VM, and it has OK performance on reasonable hardware.
  - alkonaut 3y ago
    The argument I read from upset developers was that the WSA was so much better than other methods.

codeflo 3y ago

At this point, Linux is so integral to Microsoft's strategy that if anything, it's more likely that Microsoft would abandon the Windows kernel and rebuild the Windows UI on top of Linux. (To be clear, that's not going to happen, but it's also no longer at the "hell would freeze over" level of absurdity for Nadella's Microsoft.)

Twirrim 3y ago
They're even already producing their own Linux distribution, CBL-Mariner, https://github.com/microsoft/azurelinux https://github.com/microsoft/azurelinux

baq 3y ago

WSL is what makes Windows viable in ML/AI at all. They've made a correct (in hindsight it was genius, actually) decision to expose GPUs in WSL using Windows drivers and a shim in a vm. It works surprisingly well.

diarrhea 3y ago
I was under the impression ML/AI development works fine under Windows, as that’s where a lot of (data) scientists already are.

int_19h 3y ago

Much of the tech was shared with WSL1 (the one that emulates Linux syscalls). But these days WSL2 (the one that runs Linux in a VM) gets all the love.

electroly 3y ago
You're thinking of Project Astoria. WSA is a separate and much more recent project that uses a virtual machine like WSL2 does.
- ComputerGuru 3y ago
  That’s why I’m surprised. It’s literally just maintaining a virtual machine image and some emulation, very little upkeep from Windows core. But it does seem like there was an Amazon component to this story.

linhns 3y ago

WSL1, which no one should use right now, may and should be deprecated. However, WSL2 should not go away since it has completely transformed the dev experience for the better.