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Comment by Santosh83 | Hacker News Reader

Correct me if I'm wrong but unlike your point 2, doesn't WSL make the Linux kernel obsolete in the long run? That'd be the Extinguish part which is still far beyond the horizon but isn't it something worth thinking about?

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WSL2 actually uses a virtualized Linux kernel, as opposed to WSL1, which implemented Linux APIs on top of Windows, a la Wine.

Here's the source (literally). https://github.com/microsoft/WSL2-Linux-Kernel

Microsoft knows that most server applications end up running on Linux and not on Windows. The Linux kernel is not going anywhere, MS is ensuring it doesn't lose more developers to competing OSs. At the same time staying loyal to MS probably also means if you need Linux on a the cloud you'll opt for Azure instead of AWS or Google.

That was a short, interesting test but WSL is now a Linux VM with nice integration in Windows. So no, it doesn't obsolete the kernel in any way. If anything, abandoning WSL1 can be considered proof that MS with doesn't have enough interest in replacing the Linux kernel.

Not so much with WSL 2, which Microsoft are focusing on at the moment; WSL 2 runs a real Linux kernel in a lightweight Hyper-V VM with lots of jazzy integration services.

Actually it’s more likely to go the other way around. What do you need the windows kernel for if almost everything is cross platform now and/or has a compatibility API layer?

This may be true in WSL 1, but WSL 2 uses actual Linux kernel, it won't be a problem. Instead, what will be affected is Linux Desktop.

> That'd be the Extinguish part

And how exactly are Microsoft going to force you - particularly you, personally - to stop running your own Linux kernel?

This is the same kind of ridiculous fear as any other -ism, as if lots of black people around will turn you black, or lots of gay people around will turn you gay, or lots of Muslims around will turn you Muslim.

By adding so many features to the WSL experience that (at least for their intended use case) using native Linux is such as strap ball that it falls into disuse

Microsoft making a good WSL will not change the Linux you have right now. Fearing that the Linux you have right now will "fall into disuse" means fearing that you will stop using it and you can choose to continue using it no matter what Microsoft does.

A less charitable read of your position is that Microsoft will tempt other people away and they will no longer give you cost-free updates. Of course you don't mean that.

Destkop Linux has had 30 years to provide such experience.

Apparently the large majority is fine with POSIX CLI, tiling window managers and some Electron apps thrown in.

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