[coffekaesque]

The problem is what they will do when they are at the top (or hitting rock bottom). Or when their stakeholders want to milk the cow.

It's similar to how you don't want companies to have your personal data, even if you trust them "100%". When money becomes a problem, or a solution, you'll be their last priority.

Some of the news about Windows 10 would be unthinkable a few years ago. Priorities change, and this company in particular has a history of being extremely hostile.

[Analemma_]

You’re making a different argument here then the person I replied to though. solarengineer was implying that WSL is a plot to extinguish Linux, which is ridiculous.

But that’s not saying that Microsoft is 100% trustworthy or that they will never do anything bad ever again. I’m only saying that the “sinister plan” for this one particular software component is to make Windows more useful to Unix-land developers, to try and get them to buy Windows PCs instead of the usual MacBook Pro. Notice how that explanation still assumes Microsoft is still doing it for their own financial benefit, but doesn’t require an agenda to destroy Linux. They have realized that this isn’t a zero-sum game.

[gronne]

I am convinced this is a “plot” to kill the linux desktop / keep people on windows. Its better, free and you control it - why would they not want to kill it.

[jrs95]

Because almost nobody uses it so they don't care. The only reason they even made WSL was to compete with Mac, and make devices with odd hardware that didn't easily run desktop Linux (like Surface) more appealing to developers.

[gronne]

Linux will run on almost everything these days. Of course they care: Linux desktops are finally starting to run out of the box. Kill the baby before it grows up.

[pizzazzaro]

You can totally run Linux on a Surface device! Its drivers are in the 4.16 kernel, maybe earlier.