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0 pointsskrebbel9y ago0 comments

> developer tools, most of which are GNU software?

such as python, nodejs, elixir and PHP?

0 comments

You can say that about Linux as well; the bread-and-butter of the CLI experience is still the GNU stuff.

EDIT: Yes, there are non-GNU Linux distributions, but WSL is based off Ubuntu specifically and ships with a GNU userland by default.

skrebbelOP9y ago

I feel that you miss the point of WSL. Bash and coreutils have worked on Windows for years. In fact, they ship with git so most developers have had them for years.

The point is compatibility much more than CLI UX. The ability to run that nodejs or Python project even though one of the 1352 subsubsubdependencies has a bug on Windows.

cryptarch9y ago

So it's supposed to be more stable than Cygwin? Is it that right now?

I thought Cygwin was very stable and included most things you could want, while also supporting Win7/8, which are the last versions I'm willing to run on my hardware.

skrause9y ago

There are Linux distributions which contain almost no GNU software, e.g. Alpine Linux which is built around musl libc and busybox: https://alpinelinux.org/about/

cryptarch9y ago

WSL is "Ubuntu GNU/NT". You can't base your WSL install off other distros AFAIK.

yakk09y ago

It takes a little work, but SuSE can work with WSL too: https://www.suse.com/communities/blog/make-windows-green-par...

hultner9y ago

What if you run a ToyBox userland then? Or BusyBox for that matter

cryptarch9y ago

What if your run ToyBox on Ubuntu? You have a lot of work to do upfront and get less functionality in return.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse

0 comments

cryptarch9y ago

You can say that about Linux as well; the bread-and-butter of the CLI experience is still the GNU stuff.

EDIT: Yes, there are non-GNU Linux distributions, but WSL is based off Ubuntu specifically and ships with a GNU userland by default.

skrebbelOP9y ago

I feel that you miss the point of WSL. Bash and coreutils have worked on Windows for years. In fact, they ship with git so most developers have had them for years.

The point is compatibility much more than CLI UX. The ability to run that nodejs or Python project even though one of the 1352 subsubsubdependencies has a bug on Windows.

cryptarch9y ago

So it's supposed to be more stable than Cygwin? Is it that right now?

I thought Cygwin was very stable and included most things you could want, while also supporting Win7/8, which are the last versions I'm willing to run on my hardware.

skrause9y ago

There are Linux distributions which contain almost no GNU software, e.g. Alpine Linux which is built around musl libc and busybox: https://alpinelinux.org/about/

cryptarch9y ago

WSL is "Ubuntu GNU/NT". You can't base your WSL install off other distros AFAIK.

yakk09y ago

It takes a little work, but SuSE can work with WSL too: https://www.suse.com/communities/blog/make-windows-green-par...

hultner9y ago

What if you run a ToyBox userland then? Or BusyBox for that matter

cryptarch9y ago

What if your run ToyBox on Ubuntu? You have a lot of work to do upfront and get less functionality in return.

j / k navigate · click thread line to collapse