 |
 |
|---|
Posted on 05/21/2017 4:19:05 PM PDT by dayglored
Windows 10 S and Linux will not mix, according to Microsoft senior program manager Rich Turner.
Just because Linux distributions are coming to the Windows Store, it doesn't mean they will work on laptops running Microsoft's streamlined Windows 10 S.
Microsoft wants to clear up any confusion over two recent announcements. At the beginning of May it unveiled Windows 10 S, a fast-booting, locked-down version of Windows 10 that can only install apps from the Windows Store and is restricted to Microsoft's Edge browser.
Windows 10 S ships with Microsoft's $1,000 Surface Laptop, as well as with forthcoming third-party Windows laptops that will be priced from $189 to take on the Chromebook market.
Microsoft subsequently announced that popular Linux distributions, such as Ubuntu and SUSE Linux, will be available to download from the Windows Store with the promise that users will be able to install them alongside Windows.
Apparently the two announcements led to the assumption that Windows 10 S could run Linux, which might, for example, appeal to computer-science students.
But Linux and Windows 10 S will not mix, according to Microsoft senior program manager Rich Turner.
"Just because an 'app' comes from the Windows Store does NOT automatically mean that it's safe and suitable for running in Windows 10 S. There are some apps that are not allowed to run on Windows 10 S, including all command-line apps, shells and Consoles," he wrote on Microsoft's developer blog.
That restriction includes "Windows Console, Cmd/PowerShell, or Linux, Bash, or Windows Subsystem for Linux instances".
Turner offers a reminder that Windows 10 S is aimed at non-technical people and students "who don't typically want to spend time and effort futzing with their PC" and who just expect their computer to work safely, quickly, reliably and efficiently.
"To deliver this experience, Windows 10 S users can only install apps from the Windows Store. This enables Microsoft to help ensure a safe, predictable, easy-to-use experience by preventing malicious and/or inefficient apps from getting onto users' machines and wreaking havoc with their data and resources," Turner said.
Although Windows 10 S is a poor fit for people Turner categorizes as app developers and hackers, admins and IT pros, it still may be useful to students interesting in building code.
Windows 10 S can be used to build code that runs elsewhere, such as on the web, IoT devices, or a remote virtual machine. Such software is permitted on Windows 10 S since it doesn't require access to the deeper levels of the OS, such as the filesystem.
The other source of confusion may be due to Windows 10 S being designed to run only Universal Windows Platform (UWP) apps. The Linux distros are available from the Windows Store UWP app package (APPX), but they're an "exotic type of app" that, once installed, run as non-UWP command-line tools. That is, they run outside the UWP sandbox, which isn't permitted under the Windows 10 S security model.
"This is why Linux distros don't run on Windows 10 S. Even though they're delivered via the Windows Store, and installed as standard UWP APPXs, they run as non-UWP command-line tools and this can access more of a system than a UWP can," explained Turner.
However, Surface Laptop owners can still run Linux distros. They just need to pay $49 to upgrade to Windows 10.
(Only partly kidding.)
|
|
|---|
It won’t run my MS Flight Sim X either...
Can anybody help me?
It’ll be incredibly safe and totally predictable: it won’t be on any of my computers.
Microslop is amateur crap, not worth the effort or risk.
It’ll be full of bugs and stuff will start costing $$’s.
Is MS Flight Sim X on Windows Store as a UWP application?
I don't run Flight Sim myself, but perhaps another FReeper can give assistance.
There are people still using Windows? (...scratches head)
Who knew, huh?
>that can only install apps from the Windows Store and is restricted to Microsoft’s Edge browser.
I would write an Assembler and C compiler in machine code first and then write a text editor in C before I would even look at such a pithy offering.
Just a couple of weeks ago I switched to Linux Zorin. It looks and acts just like Win7. As an ex certified Windows tech I made the conscious decision to not go beyond Win7.
My only regret since the switch is not doing it sooner. Everything runs on Zorin that ran on Win7. It even has a program called “Wine” that allows Windows apps and programs to run in its native format on Zorin. When everyone else using Windows was sweating bullets from the crybaby malware or whatever it was called; I was living comfortably knowing it would not affect me. The beauty of it all is I dual boot with Zorin being the default but I can boot into Win7 if I so choose but so far there hasn’t been a reason to and I can access all my files in the Windows side.
There are other Linux options too like Mint or one that looks more like a Mac that runs on the far less expensive PC type computer you can actually work on yourself or the kid next door can too.
Once the ISO is downloaded and burned to a DVD; the user has the option when booting up to run Linux Zorin straight off the DVD to try it out without installing it or to install it. It runs much faster once installed though.
Very interesting; I’m not familiar with Zorin, but I”li’l check it out.
You can only install the junk from windows store on windows 10 S
So, VirtualBoxen are haram it seems.
Have been using some form of Linux since 1994.
Seldom ever operate a Window machine. (still have several, wife has one)
And computer life is much simpler with Linux. And there are some really great command line software programs that I would not like to give up.
Image Magic is an amazing batch processing command line image processing tool. Have been using it for a very long time. It was available in both Windows and Linux. So? MS is only shooting themselves in the foot.
One I haven’t tried. Thanks
It must be nice to be retired, and not have to work for a living. Or be a “Genius” in an Apple Store (I wonder if they could be sued for false advertising?)
Mark :-)
I have Win 10 Home running on four machines with Classic Shell as the UI. Runs fine now and may be soon history if MS messes around too much. Installed Linux Mint on an older retired machine for trial and was impressed with the performance.
For later
Yeah, I won’t be getting 10 S or any hardware that requires it. I’m running Windows 10 with the Linux subsystem - best thing that ever happened to Windows.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.