Re:DirectX is coming to the Windows Subsystem for Linux
by smaudet on Friday May 22, 2020 @12:26PM
(#23273804)
I do think that's a real concern...however in some ways this is an admission of failure - users like what's in the WSL enough that they want more linux, versus just some subsystem which is consumed by other apps.
Also, I think linux users (desktop/servers) who actually write code and provide updates for programs, aren't likely to pause the world for WSL. Its not exactly 'linux' nor the destination for their code, WSL stands a risk of becoming obsolete, if not properly maintained etc.
Its also good in some sense, it exposes users to linux capabilities and the like, who might not have had the guts to run a live cd or deal with modern hardware foibles.
BUT I MUST AGREE WITH YOU that, over time, this is likely to fragment the Linux ecosystem and encourage people to develop software that works only in Windows "with the Linux-thingy installed" environments.
That's because sooner or later, people using Windows will publish important AI papers or release must-have software or do something else with code that runs only on Windows "with the Linux-thingy installed." The "Linux-thingy" becomes a dependency that gets installed in the background. It becomes a near-invisible component of Windows, abstracted away by layers of Microsoft APIs, code, standards, etc.
The "Linux-thingy" on Windows, in other words, becomes like an init system on Linux, which can eventually be replaced in whole or in part without most people caring or noticing. Most Linux users don't care if their Linux machine uses Systemd, a Sys V Init, or even the dead-ended Upstart. That's the "Extinguish" part.