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Comment by hacking_again | Hacker News Reader

Why not just use Cygwin?

Cygwin cannot run Linux executables. Cygwin .exe's are specifically compiled for Windows.

Cygwin is essentially a distribution, so like any distribution their packages are recompiled for that specific distribution and available in their repo. It's not too often you download a random binary for Linux and run it, but that case I concede.

> It's not too often you download a random binary for Linux and run it

Mostly because you don't have to due to package managers. Assuming there are no unsatisfied dependencies, it's totally possible to share binaries between Linux distros.

While I think cygwin has a fairly poor ux I don't mean to be dismissive of the undertaking.

On the flip side the concept of " curl http://random_unknown_thing.sh| sudo sh" has become increasingly normal and unsettling

Very often; every ruby/node/etc library that has at least one dependency that needs compilation ("native-extensions") can now run on Windows 10 without issues.

Huh? If it was compiling the native extension, then it would work in cygwin also?

Just as an exercise; try to compile latest Node on cygwin and you will be welcomed by a ton of errors. Then try to compile it on linux subsystem (no issues arise)

I mostly agree. I have used cygwin for years when forced to use windows and have had mostly a great experience. In the article she mentions launching windows programs from the shell as if it's a great new thing... you could always do that from cygwin.... The only thing this gets you (i think) is not having to recompile programs.

You get much more than that - you are installing native binaries direct from apt-get.

No waiting for ports, patches, recompilation or people trying to get the latest version working on cygwin.

It pulls binaries direct from Ubuntu as if you were on a Linux box and just runs them.

because there's no apt-get.

Installing software is a pain.

apt-cyg: https://github.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg

The funny of it is that I must install it from source. It isn't a cygwin package.

> Because I got dragged into a time-consuming and unpleasant law suit involving apt-cyg, I am very unlikely to put more time and effort into it anytime soon, even though I won. I write open source software because I enjoy it, not so I can get involved in meaningless conflicts.

https://github.com/transcode-open/apt-cyg/blob/master/status...

I looked but I couldn't find any details.

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