Windows Subsystem for Linux is making inroads with developers

Enlarge / Tux is starting to look surprisingly comfortable in a Windows environment. (credit: Larry Ewing, Jim Salter)

Last week, Microsoft and Canonical (the company behind the Ubuntu Linux distribution) were scheduled to host a developer conference focused on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) at Microsoft's Redmond campus. Ars was invited, and I had plane tickets in hand-but the physical conference was canceled at the last minute due to the coronavirus.

Note that I did say the physical conference was canceled-WSLconf itself went on, with 22 speakers and 21 talks given. Virtual attendees were reportedly more than double the (sold out) physical attendee registration and included developers from all around the world. Presentations were given over the Bluejeans videoconferencing platform, and Canonical's Developer Advocate Hayden Barnes says that the recorded sessions will be made generally available soon.

What's a WSL? And how do I install it?

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  From the Start menu on a modern Windows 10 build, type features, and open the Windows features applet. [credit: Jim Salter ]

Most Ars readers will already know that there's a Windows Subsystem for Linux available and that it does... Linux stuff. But what's less clear is how to actually install it or why you'd want to.

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