
Windows Server will add the Linux subsystem, join the Insider program - nikbackm
https://arstechnica.com/information-technology/2017/05/windows-server-will-add-the-linux-subsystem-join-the-insider-program/
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0x0
How long until vendors start shipping "linux" software binaries that depend on
a microsoft-specific quirk in their Linux kernel ABI reimplementation, and
real Linux will need to add support for MS-Linux kernel ABI variant :)

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Analemma_
It seems unlikely, especially now that the WSL supports multiple distros. I
don't see how multiple distros, which only have Windows support as secondary,
could all depend on a Windows-specific quirk.

Also, I imagine that if anyone ever tried submitting a kernel patch to support
a Microsoft-specific ABI, Linus would rip their heart out Temple of Doom-
style.

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rch
This could happen: some application(s) will be shown to have better
performance on both WSL and Linux with a given patch, but WSL will outperform
Linux because of a patent-encumbered optimization.

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ramshanker
Linux subsystem is more of a developer tool than consumer one. And server is a
lot more of developer only affair. So it seems natural choice.

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devoply
What's positive about this: more options for developers. What's negative about
this: Microsoft is trying to eat Linux. I doubt they will succeed but that's
in fact what they are trying to do.

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danieldk
Are they? It seems that a lot of their work (WSL, VS Code, etc.) seems to be
focused on building developer mindshare, which was largely taken by Apple [1]
in the last 1.5 decade. After the Windows Phone and Windows 8 Metro fiascos, I
think they realized that the 'launch the platform and the developers will
come'-strategy does not work.

tl;dr: this seems like a direct attempt to lure developers away from Apple's
platforms.

[1] To repeat a cliché: go to a developers conference and the majority of
laptops will be MacBooks.

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ianai
Whether they want to eat Linux or not, I don't think they can. It will always
be free.

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nickpsecurity
What if they bought Red Hat and SUSE. SUSE was acquired by Novell. It getting
acquired again is conceivable. Red Hat is an unknown. Last one is Canonical. I
think it could happen on the distro side where they get acquired, new stuff
goes more proprietary, and so on.

As I run it through my head, the main way Linux would stay free are through
the remaining contributors to kernel: IBM and Oracle. Mainly IBM since they
contribute a ton of code, use Linux extensively, and previously put $1 billion
on line to fight Microsoft and SCO. They fought them back before. Oracle's big
on Linux these days. They'd probably hit them, too.

So, what protects the ecosystem of usable, free Linux is the self-interest of
massive, proprietary vendors along with contributions from a few distro's. I
probably wouldn't have called that happening 20 years ago.

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curt15
>As I run it through my head, the main way Linux would stay free are through
the remaining contributors to kernel: IBM and Oracle.

What about Google, which uses Ubuntu for its internal workstations?

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nickpsecurity
I thought they ran on Macs after the big hack. Them on Ubuntu is new to me. If
so, then they might fight too. I shouldve added them and Amazon anyway due to
Linux-based clouds plus a history of legal battles protecting their interests.
Good catch!

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rebootthesystem
Can someone with Windows Server experience please explain how this might make
any sense at all?

I've never uses Windows Server or any of the MS server technologies. The
closest I've gotten to this was using Exchange in the context of being just
another user in a corporate environment.

If you need Windows Server, why would you want any part of Linux?

And, if you need Linux server, why would you pile gigabytes (?) of MS Server
code onto your server?

I can see (and I like) the utility of WSL on the desktop for development. As
this evolves it will become more and more useful. But on the server? Not sure
I see the point.

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ctolkien
They are position this for use in script sharing.

You might have a nix shell script, using a bunch of traditional GNU tools
which does some "stuff" \- you can now consolidate that workload onto a
Windows Server.

