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by swiley 3172 days ago
I've always thought of WSL as "implementing the Linux kernel API on Windows so you can run software written for it." I don't think it's necessarily restricted to GNU it's just that's what most people use and it's what's included.
1 comments
stephenr 3172 days ago
That is what it is - it's a compatibility layer to provide (a subset of) Linux kernel system calls on Windows, allowing the user to run ELF binaries as-is.

The problem is Microsoft's phrasing. They're calling the distros (eg ubuntu or suse) that can run on WSL sans Linux (as they use the NT kernel w/WSL) "Linux".

https://twitter.com/TechBandCamp/status/920733089948504064

It's like saying "for our lactose intolerant customers we sell cheeseburgers without cheese".

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nolok 3172 days ago
That's because they need the public and marketing name to be understood not by the tech deciders who understands what it is and how it works, but by their boss.

Said boss have very little idea what "kernel compatibility layer" or "running ELF binary as-is" means, but they do get "running linux".

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stephenr 3172 days ago
The announcement that includes the name change (from bash on Windows of all things) is pages long.

They could have said "run a Linux Distribution" or "run Debian/RedHat/Centos".

This is aimed at technical people, who should either know or be able to understand that Linux is the name of the kernel and is explicitly not part of this - WSL is (claimed to be) free of any Linux source.

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wvenable 3172 days ago
Microsoft is offering a Linux-compatible kernel. Calling any distribution "Linux" has a long history that pre-dates anything Microsoft has done.
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stephenr 3172 days ago
But they are usually called Linux Distributions - and then more specifically by their distro name.
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