Canonical Releases "Ubuntu on Windows Community Preview"

[jacob]

This just shows the size o Ubuntu in the market. Contrary to what some linuxers believe, Ubuntu is the de-facto desktop Linux distro. If you look around, a lot of specialized software out there targets Ubuntu first. Even if they have packages for other distros, Ubuntu is listed first. All big companies out there do the same, like Valve and AMD.

On the other hand, some developers refuse to provide Ubuntu/Debian packages out of spite, shooting themselves on the foot because some childish fanboyism.

About 2 weeks ago I switched to Fedora after some 15 years(!) of using Ubuntu. It's not about fanboyism. I couldn't care less about cloud, WSL or mobile (I'm not saying I oppose it, I just don't care). All I need and want is a solid FOSS desktop and Ubuntu stopped being that. Once it was a very polished, integrated desktop OS with a strong vision and a commitment to deliver; today every Ubuntu desktop release has some caveats, quirks and annoying bugs and is lacking in some way. Fedora or Mint is where things are happening today. It's true that most third party software targets Ubuntu but snap and flatpak are alleviating that problem to a large degree. On the other hand, most FOSS desktop-oriented development, being sponsored by Red Hat, targets Fedora, so there's that.

[Charlie68]

Someone mentioned on an earlier thread that this is probably mainly for Azure devs and those who manage Ubuntu instances on Azure to test things out on their own Windows workstations before deploying.

On a side note though, I was revisiting the state of Flatpaks vs Snaps. I noticed again the old blurbs by Microsoft big wigs touting Snaps as the way to go in packaging and deploying Linux apps. Which struck me odd when I first read that even though Microsoft's embraced of Linux and particularly Ubuntu was already well known. Then I had a look yesterday at Flathub and the Snap Store. HOLY MOTHER OF PEARL JAM !! If the number of Flapaked apps compared to Snapped apps is any indication then Flapak is in DEEP TROUBLE !! It's not even close! There are LITERALLY hundreds more Linux apps that have been Snapped than Flatpaked. Just the number of games alone that have been Snapped vs Flatpaked is an order of magnitude greater at least! I wonder if Microsoft's acceptance and touting Snap has anything to do with this ??

You are stating inaccuracies ...
FlatHub is a reference for flatpak packages, however Flatpak's policy, unlike Snap, is that you can choose whether to put your application in FlatHub or not, so many applications that are available as flatpak are not on FlatHub. W freedom!
Another point not to forget ... Canonical claims that Snap are universal packages but they are bad upstream and this is demonstrated by the fact that openSUSE which wanted to make Snap available, have not yet been able to do so due to some security bugs that Canonical does not have not even considered.
If you decide to make your packages available, you should at least collaborate with those who pose some problems and don't ignore it.
Nobody snubs Ubuntu is Ubuntu snubs others and they are bad upstream.

[anarki2]

Microsoft loves Linux... and Canonical loves Microsoft: that must be true, otherwise I don't understand the point of making a build just for WSL2. TBH, I don't even see the point of using any virtualized Linux on Windows.

Thankfully it's not you making these decisions. I'm very happy I don't have to fire up a VM or reboot just to issue a couple of ansible commands.

[M@GOid]

sn99
jacob

Keep in mind that I was talking about software distribution, not the distro people choose to use. When I say some have a childish behavior, I mean they behave like fanboys defending some distro and in their opinion, anything that is not like it is trash. Any self respect adult will not talk like that about Red Hat or Ubuntu distros. They just acknowledge it is not for them.

To clarify my position, I believe that if you want other people using your software, you should make it easily available for the majority of users, even if those users are in a distro you don't like. Because believe it or not, not every Linux user know how to compile from source, and some simply didn't have the patience to pursue every little dependency the dev forgot to put in the building doc.

I can see some developers just want to share something they think others might find useful, and put out the source in some distribution channel and forget about it. They don't bother with its adoption, which is perfectly understandable.

But I actually saw some programs that were meant to be adopted by a lot of people, but the developer just do packages for some obscure (in absolute numbers) distro and forget the rest. If you want to see your software to grow, that is not a smart move.

[lucrus]

Thankfully it's not you making these decisions.

It's neither you (meaning Windows users are not making ANY decision but the ones MS wants them to make).

I'm very happy I don't have to fire up a VM

Spoiler ahead: WSL2 is a VM.

or reboot just to issue a couple of ansible commands.

You can always do the opposite: use Linux and reboot just to play Fortnite (assuming it's worth a reboot).

[BesiegedAce]

Good to know that Canonical is happily helping MS' EEE strategy.

Ah it took 6 posts before the obligatory EEE wolf-crying. Smh, gotta step up your game folks.

[Jumbotron]

You are stating inaccuracies ...
FlatHub is a reference for flatpak packages, however Flatpak's policy, unlike Snap, is that you can choose whether to put your application in FlatHub or not, so many applications that are available as flatpak are not on FlatHub. W freedom!
Another point not to forget ... Canonical claims that Snap are universal packages but they are bad upstream and this is demonstrated by the fact that openSUSE which wanted to make Snap available, have not yet been able to do so due to some security bugs that Canonical does not have not even considered.
If you decide to make your packages available, you should at least collaborate with those who pose some problems and don't ignore it.
Nobody snubs Ubuntu is Ubuntu snubs others and they are bad upstream.

This kind of geek elitist attitude is why Linux proper will never budge above 3-5 global desktop usage and no more than 1% usage on Steam. Who in the bloody fu**ing real world wants to hunt down a godamn app when they have been trained now for over a decade by Apple, Google and Microsoft to simply go to an "App Store"? Who gives a shit about freedom if I can't find the bloody fu**ing app quickly in order to use for my needs. I don't give a shit about your developer "freedom" when you take the freedom of you NOT wasting my time away from me by looking here and far for your crappy Flatpaked app on your obscure personal web site. You know who in Linux Land gives more of a shit for the end user. The one who has the best, most compatible desktop experience and a sane App store on top of the Gnome App store. Canonical with Ubuntu and the properly documented Snap package system and an actual Snap store stocked FULL of Snaps. And yet with all the resources of the combined Red Hat/IBM along with Red Hat being a MAJOR contributor to Gnome and the Flatpak group they STILL can't get their shit straight. SMH at the state of Linux and the wider arrogant Linux geek community.

[Charlie68]

This kind of geek elitist attitude is why Linux proper will never budge above 3-5 global desktop usage and no more than 1% usage on Steam. Who in the bloody fu**ing real world wants to hunt down a godamn app when they have been trained now for over a decade by Apple, Google and Microsoft to simply go to an "App Store"? Who gives a shit about freedom if I can't find the bloody fu**ing app quickly in order to use for my needs. I don't give a shit about your developer "freedom" when you take the freedom of you NOT wasting my time away from me by looking here and far for your crappy Flatpaked app on your obscure personal web site. You know who in Linux Land gives more of a shit for the end user. The one who has the best, most compatible desktop experience and a sane App store on top of the Gnome App store. Canonical with Ubuntu and the properly documented Snap package system and an actual Snap store stocked FULL of Snaps. And yet with all the resources of the combined Red Hat/IBM along with Red Hat being a MAJOR contributor to Gnome and the Flatpak group they STILL can't get their shit straight. SMH at the state of Linux and the wider arrogant Linux geek community.

If you don't care about freedom, use Windows with its 80% user base! Those who use Linux do it for freedom and we give a damn if we are few or many, Linux on desktop is not a commercial product. If I develop an application for Linux, will it be free to make it available from wherever I want? What do you want user who does not pay a shit and you also have to tell me where to put my application?

[fafreeman]

i realized what WSL was when i saw some windows "fan developers" on level1tech forums shilling hard for people to start developing for Linux on windows with WSL. that WSL was so great, installing Linux as your main OS was a "dumb" idea and prevents you from also easily using all these great Microsoft technologies. Highly discouraging native Linux use.
that made it pretty clear what the purpose of WSL is. its to get people off Linux and onto Windows for development. all of "Microsoft <3 Linux" has been one sided. sided directly for Windows. Very little love has been given to Linux.

I'll put it this way, do you see Microsoft contributing to Wine? do you see them porting anything over to Linux to improve Windows development on Linux? Like why not take the time and at least OPEN UP the direct X 12 api? improving Windows software on Linux? no one should be helping Microsoft make developing for Linux easier on Windows. its suicide.

[Paradigm Shifter]

i realized what WSL was when i saw some windows "fan developers" on level1tech forums shilling hard for people to start developing for Linux on windows with WSL. that WSL was so great, installing Linux as your main OS was a "dumb" idea and prevents you from also easily using all these great Microsoft technologies. Highly discouraging native Linux use.
that made it pretty clear what the purpose of WSL is. its to get people off Linux and onto Windows for development. all of "Microsoft <3 Linux" has been one sided. sided directly for Windows. Very little love has been given to Linux.

I'll put it this way, do you see Microsoft contributing to Wine? do you see them porting anything over to Linux to improve Windows development on Linux? improving Windows software on Linux? no one should be helping Microsoft make developing for Linux easier on Windows. its suicide.

Agreed. If Microsoft were serious about supporting Linux, rather than using it for it's own purposes, then they would port Office over.