What They Do
Welcome
© Image –
Remembering what the view was like when I started this job, I must admit that I was gratified, surprised, and encouraged to see that Microsoft has now posted a tutorial on how to install Linux.
Dear Reader,
Remembering what the view was like when I started this job, I must admit that I was gratified, surprised, and encouraged to see that Microsoft has now posted a tutorial on how to install Linux [1]. It is hard to believe that Ol' Redmond has finally beaten the sword of FUD into the plowshare of documentation. At least, it would have been hard for me to believe back then, but the change has been a slow and gradual march. Microsoft has supported Linux in its Azure cloud for a few years now, and I can't believe this is their first Linux how-to. CEO Satya Nadella is known for famously stating "Microsoft Loves Linux." Is that where we are right now? Well, maybe, but it's worth remembering that there are many different kinds of love.
It is also good to remember that Microsoft wouldn't be Microsoft if they didn't sneaky it up a bit. That's what they always do. In this case, the instructions describe four ways to install Linux, including bare metal and virtual machine options, but the "most simple way to install Linux" according to Microsoft, is to use Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL). The WSL method is also the first one they describe – the definitive, best-case scenario. In other words, they make the assertion (without qualification) that the "simplest" way to install Linux is to run it from inside a running Windows system.
[...]
Buy this article as PDF
(incl. VAT)
Buy Linux Magazine
US / Canada
UK / Australia
Subscribe to our Linux Newsletters
Find Linux and Open Source Jobs
Subscribe to our ADMIN Newsletters
Support Our Work
Linux Magazine content is made possible with support from readers like you. Please consider contributing when you’ve found an article to be beneficial.
News
-
Linux Kernel 6.17 Drops bcachefs
After a clash over some late fixes and disagreements between bcachefs's lead developer and Linus Torvalds, bachefs is out.
-
ONLYOFFICE v9 Embraces AI
Like nearly all office suites on the market (except LibreOffice), ONLYOFFICE has decided to go the AI route.
-
Two Local Privilege Escalation Flaws Discovered in Linux
Qualys researchers have discovered two local privilege escalation vulnerabilities that allow hackers to gain root privileges on major Linux distributions.
-
New TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro Powered by AMD Ryzen AI 300
The TUXEDO InfinityBook Pro 14 Gen10 offers serious power that is ready for your business, development, or entertainment needs.
-
Danish Ministry of Digital Affairs Transitions to Linux
Another major organization has decided to kick Microsoft Windows and Office to the curb in favor of Linux.
-
Linux Mint 20 Reaches EOL
With Linux Mint 20 at its end of life, the time has arrived to upgrade to Linux Mint 22.
-
TuxCare Announces Support for AlmaLinux 9.2
Thanks to TuxCare, AlmaLinux 9.2 (and soon version 9.6) now enjoys years of ongoing patching and compliance.
-
Go-Based Botnet Attacking IoT Devices
Using an SSH credential brute-force attack, the Go-based PumaBot is exploiting IoT devices everywhere.
-
Plasma 6.5 Promises Better Memory Optimization
With the stable Plasma 6.4 on the horizon, KDE has a few new tricks up its sleeve for Plasma 6.5.
-
KaOS 2025.05 Officially Qt5 Free
If you're a fan of independent Linux distributions, the team behind KaOS is proud to announce the latest iteration that includes kernel 6.14 and KDE's Plasma 6.3.5.