Windows Subsystem For Linux Leaves Beta In Fall Creators Update
"Windows Linux". Two words I would have never thought I'd mention so close to each other, and yet that is the reality that the computing world will face this coming Fall. Microsoft has made it official that its Windows Subsystem for Linux, a.k.a. WSL, a.k.a. Linux on Windows, will be shedding off its beta tag once Windows 10 Falls Creators Update comes around. While nothing really changes, it does mean that Microsoft is making a big commitment to offering official support for this feature that nobody really saw coming years ago.
WSL continues to be a headscratcher for most Linux and Windows users. After all, it has always been possible to run Linux on Windows to some extent, be it via virtual machines or good old Cygwin. So why bother officially supporting a subsystem that runs a nearly complete and seamless competing operating system on Windows?
It's really about keeping developers inside Microsoft's ecosystem. Microsoft knows that many developers, especially web developers and system administrators, use operating systems and frameworks that run only or best on Linux systems and servers. Web servers like apache/nginx, databases like MongoDB and MySQL, and even the venerable BASH shell, are all tools of the trade. Having a Linux subsystem keeps these developers on Windows while they do their work, potentially even using Microsoft development tools.
The Windows Subsystem for Linux almost seamlessly blends the two operating systems. From within Linux, users can access Windows files and run Windows commands. From within Windows, users can run Linux commands, but not access Linux files. It doesn't support running graphical Linux software, not officially anyway, which is just fine for Microsoft's motives anyway.
Once the beta gloves are off, WSL users will be able to expect a better level of support from Microsoft. Specifically, they will be able to file issues, complain on Twitter, and expect some answers. Of course, it is all completely optional, and you actually still need to explicitly turn it on. Most users will probably leave it off, but it might also be a safe way for the more adventurous to get a preview of Linux. Who knows, they might even like it enough to leave Windows, which would be totally ironic in this case.
SOURCE: Microsoft