Re: [arch-dev-public] Windows Subsystem Linux - Arch Linux as official container?

[Doug Newgard via arch-dev-public]

On Thu, 1 Feb 2018 20:09:26 +0100
Thomas Bächler via arch-dev-public  wrote:

> Right now, I only have experience with the version before the fall
> creators update, and that has issues:
> 
> * As others mentioned, some glibc functionality relies on certain
> clone() flags that WSL did/does not support.
> * pacman needs an LD_PRELOAD hack since it insists on using chroot even
> without a --root option, but WSL does/did not have chroot.

Both are fixed, chroot is supported in the Fall Creators update and the glibc
issues have been fixed since.

The addition of chroot makes it simple to install Arch. Just let it setup
Ubuntu, then use the bootstrap image to install Arch. Copy a couple of dirs in
Windows and you're done.


pgpw8C3gAUtQF.pgp
Description: OpenPGP digital signature

Re: [arch-dev-public] Windows Subsystem Linux - Arch Linux as official container?

[Thomas Bächler via arch-dev-public]

Am 29.01.2018 um 22:00 schrieb Christian Rebischke via arch-dev-public:
> Hello everybody,
> I would like to start a discussion about Windows Subsystem Linux and
> Arch linux. You all might know that Microsoft has increased their
> participation in open source software a lot since Satya Nadella is CEO
> of Microsoft.
> 
> They even implemented a subsystem on Windows 10 for executing natively
> ELF binaries on Windows. This system is based on docker images and some
> nice guys from Microsoft have asked Allan and me if Arch Linux would be
> interested to participate in this project.
> 
> The steps for getting into the project are:
> 
> * Signup in the Microsoft Appstore (we would get a free voucher if we
>   want to participate) as Organization (we need the ok from one of our
>   trademark holders for this step)
> * modifying our docker container a little bit
> * pushing it into the microsoft appstore
> 
> So what do you think? Should we participate in that project?
> 
> Here are some pros and contras:
> 
> pro:
> - CentOS and Ubuntu are there too
> - Would be a nice chance to increase the awareness about Arch Linux
> - might get people to change from Windows to Arch Linux (or linux in
>   general)
> - Nice way to test our docker image in production
> - People who are forced to work on windows at work can use Arch
>   Linux at work as well
> - More bugreports / feedback / forum activity?
> 
> contras:
> - Microsoft is Microsoft (I think I don't need to explain)
> - More Newbies?
> - Somebody would need to maintain it (I would do it)
> - If Arch Linux partnerships with Microsoft could lead into bad image?
> 

I'd like to give some feedback too. Personally, I love WSL, since I am
stuck with Windows 10 at work and it gives me certain applications I
otherwise don't have.

AFAIK, with the "Fall Creators Update" Version, they updated WSL to only
be available via the appstore and as far as I can see, this makes
installing Arch via other means significantly more difficult.

Right now, I only have experience with the version before the fall
creators update, and that has issues:

* As others mentioned, some glibc functionality relies on certain
clone() flags that WSL did/does not support.
* pacman needs an LD_PRELOAD hack since it insists on using chroot even
without a --root option, but WSL does/did not have chroot.

I would hope they fixed these problems by now, but I did not check yet.

I personally would love to see an official WSL Arch image, since it's
very useful to me. That said, I don't like the way they promote WSL,
because it is Linux the way that wine is Windows (read: it isn't).



signature.asc
Description: OpenPGP digital signature