Microsoft has been doing interesting things with Windows, such as adding Windows Subsystem for Linux, which allowed me to install and run Ubuntu from the Windows app store.
I love having a full and familiar Linux bash command shell at my fingertips, with the utilities I know and love, including ssh. It’s fast.
https://www.microsoft.com/en-us/p/ubuntu/9nblggh4msv6
Prior to this, I used cygwin on Windows, which was also good. However, I prefer Ubuntu, mostly.
There are some caveats:
- The home directory is in a different place from the Windows home. So for easy access, I symlink Documents, Downloads, Pictures and Videos to my Ubuntu homedir.
- Still need to keep the Ubuntu software up-to-date. Microsoft’s app store doesn’t do it for you. Run
sudo apt-get update ; sudo apt-get upgrade - Removable drives aren’t mapped into the filesystem automatically — cygwin was better in this regard.
- It’s a subsystem — a container, so it doesn’t manage Windows. E.g.
— Can’t reboot from the command line
— Can’t manage Windows processes or users