Microsoft Will Ship a Linux Kernel with Windows

[cageymaru]

Microsoft has announced that it will be shipping a Linux kernel with Windows. The Windows Subsystem for Linux: WSL 2 will bring full support for Docker and other Linux features to Windows. This will be the first time a Linux kernel is shipped with Windows and it is based on the 4.19 version of the kernel. It will be fully updated through Windows Update. This is a drop-in replacement for the emulation architecture and translation layer featured in the design of WSL1. This makes WSL 2 up to 20 times faster than WSL 1.

Another exciting feature of WSL 2 is full system call compatibility with Linux. All apps such as Docker and FUSE! are compatible with WSL 2. "Using WSL 2 means you can also get the most recent improvements to the Linux kernel much faster than in WSL 1, as we can simply update the WSL 2 kernel rather than needing to reimplement the changes ourselves." WSL 2 is scheduled to come to the Windows Insider program by the end of June 2019. Canonical has announced full support for Ubuntu on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) 2.

“Extending enterprise support for Ubuntu from Azure to Windows workstations and servers creates a seamless operating environment for Ubuntu in the Microsoft environment,” said Stephan Fabel, Director of Product at Canonical. “Collaboration with Microsoft enables us to certify Ubuntu on WSL, including Docker containers, Kubernetes, and snaps”.

“Performance optimisation of Ubuntu in Azure and WSL ensures total efficiency for enterprises developing new Linux applications on Microsoft platforms,” said Kiko Reis, VP Cloud at Canonical. “Our commitment to security updates for the full stack on any cloud or virtualisation extends naturally to this new WSL environment.”

 

[Hakaba]

Interesting... Wonder what/if there will be a performance hit still.

 

[cageymaru]

Interesting... Wonder what/if there will be a performance hit still.

The article alludes to the translation layer becoming unnecessary, but it never quite says it will be removed completely. I was having the same thoughts as you.

 

[cageymaru]

 

[ManofGod]

Chad? Chad? Chad? Yeah, having a Linux Kernel in WSL is not the same thing as Windows replacing it's kernel, just saying, nor is that last part ever going to happen. Oh well, the WSL will work better for those who use it, regardless.

 

[Nobu]

So it's essentially a chroot with it's own environment now. About as close to bare metal as you can get without replacing userspace and the kernel or installing as the primary OS.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

So it's essentially a chroot with it's own environment now. About as close to bare metal as you can get without replacing userspace and the kernel or installing as the primary OS.

I view it as sort of a Linux container, but running on Windows.

Interesting, but why?

The main benefit of Linux on any platform is its low resource footprint, relatively good security and stability. All three of these are less true when running it inside of Windows.

 

[Biznatch]

I view it as sort of a Linux container, but running on Windows.

Interesting, but why?

The main benefit of Linux on any platform is its low resource footprint, relatively good security and stability. All three of these are less true when running it inside of Windows.

To fix the few minor issues with running the MS linux kernel based WSL. I use WSL all the time in my workflow, mainly to run certain devops tools that can't run on windows, or just run better on linux. Plus the rest of the team are linux admins, so I can run any of their scripts/templates natively. I'm anxious for this to be released, as well as the new terminal to see if that's a valid replacement for my custom CMDer console. It better have quake mode though......

 

[jardows]

I view it as sort of a Linux container, but running on Windows.

Interesting, but why?

The main benefit of Linux on any platform is its low resource footprint, relatively good security and stability. All three of these are less true when running it inside of Windows.

My take is that WSL was and always be targeted at developers and Linux sysadmins who otherwise will be using Windows as the main OS. As I am neither of those things, I cannot vouch for the veracity of this opinion.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

To fix the few minor issues with running the MS linux kernel based WSL. I use WSL all the time in my workflow, mainly to run certain devops tools that can't run on windows, or just run better on linux. Plus the rest of the team are linux admins, so I can run any of their scripts/templates natively. I'm anxious for this to be released, as well as the new terminal to see if that's a valid replacement for my custom CMDer console. It better have quake mode though......

Wouldn't a small VM solve this though?

My preference would be a bare metal linux install with a Windows VM in it for the things I can't do in Linux, but some might opt for the opposite (and they would be wrong )

 

[Biznatch]

Wouldn't a small VM solve this though?

My preference would be a bare metal linux install with a Windows VM in it for the things I can't do in Linux, but some might opt for the opposite (and they would be wrong )

That is what some of our linux admins do. I'm a windows admin that also works on the linux, and I don't need a full linux GUI. I was running mint as a VM until WSL came out, then I moved straight to that. Getting into the linux shell is just ctrl + ` to bring down my console (Love me some quake mode) and ctrl + b to start a new tab for the WSL subsystem with ZSH.


But MS has really been upping their game in the open source arena. Contributing heavily on certain community projects, and moving their new projects to open source. I also made the switch from atom to VS code and haven't looked back. Code is one hell of an editor and the community packages take it to the next level.

 

[Zarathustra[H]]

That is what some of our linux admins do. I'm a windows admin that also works on the linux, and I don't need a full linux GUI. I was running mint as a VM until WSL came out, then I moved straight to that. Getting into the linux shell is just ctrl + ` to bring down my console (Love me some quake mode) and ctrl + b to start a new tab for the WSL subsystem with ZSH.


But MS has really been upping their game in the open source arena. Contributing heavily on certain community projects, and moving their new projects to open source. I also made the switch from atom to VS code and haven't looked back. Code is one hell of an editor and the community packages take it to the next level.

Embrace, Extend, Extinguish?

 

[Biznatch]

Embrace, Extend, Extinguish?

They would have to go back to closed source, but I don't think they can legally do that with the community projects due to the licensing. And there are a lot of non MS developers contributing to their open source projects.

 

[ChadD]

Get your windows devs and admins good a familiar with Linux before replacing your system kernel. Sounds right doesn't it ManoG ?

I have little doubt MS has skunk works versions of their windows DE running on a Linux base. I have no doubt at some point they will move to a Linux kernel. Average users won't even notice.... They will all just be happy windows XI isn't windows X. lol

 

[Luke M]

Nice. This will be way better than Microsoft's closed source linux clone.

 

[naib]

Get your windows devs and admins good a familiar with Linux before replacing your system kernel. Sounds right doesn't it ManoG ?

I have little doubt MS has skunk works versions of their windows DE running on a Linux base. I have no doubt at some point they will move to a Linux kernel. Average users won't even notice.... They will all just be happy windows XI isn't windows X. lol

Same here, been thinking this for some time. With MS giving win10 away for free, with Azure's expected to have more Linux instances than window... Microsoft makes money from Linux.

The E-E-E mantra, the destroy linux doesnt work as it is open and people are passionate about it

One thing to note now... Windows is now a Linux distribution as it is shipping the kernel


How long until MS just provides a UI and Chuck tonnes into wine to support the legacy

 

[dgz]

Same here, been thinking this for some time. With MS giving win10 away for free, with Azure's expected to have more Linux instances than window... Microsoft makes money from Linux.

The E-E-E mantra, the destroy linux doesnt work as it is open and people are passionate about it

One thing to note now... Windows is now a Linux distribution as it is shipping the kernel


How long until MS just provides a UI and Chuck tonnes into wine to support the legacy

MS won't be done with it until E3.

 

[HAL_404]

won't be long before we have to pay Microsoft for Linux. Isn't there a law or something preventng Microsoft from using the Linux kernal in their WIndows Distrobution?

They should have to pay Linus Torvalds to use his Kernal

 

[Nobu]

won't be long before we have to pay Microsoft for Linux. Isn't there a law or something preventng Microsoft from using the Linux kernal in their WIndows Distrobution?

They should have to pay Linus Torvalds to use his Kernal

I rather expect them to switch to a microkernel and have linux and windows interfaces a la genode-os.

 

[Biznatch]

won't be long before we have to pay Microsoft for Linux. Isn't there a law or something preventng Microsoft from using the Linux kernal in their WIndows Distrobution?

They should have to pay Linus Torvalds to use his Kernal

I believe they would be violating the linux licensing model if they tried to use the linux kernel for a closed source OS.

 

[ChadD]

I believe they would be violating the linux licensing model if they tried to use the linux kernel for a closed source OS.

Yes and no. Ask google how that works with chromeos and android.

Free sure.... freely downloadable and user installable not specifically. And there is nothing stopping MS from having an open source project for their core systems... as both Google and Apple do. Yet still sell their complete operating system with their closed source DEs / stores ect You can keep the kernel and even other open source subsystems open... and close up your user space. No rules against that.