NewApp Digest
search bot

Windows Subsystem

Microsoft distinguished engineer fires back at anti-Windows 11 rage-bait, says “more developers use Windows” than Linux or macOS
Winsage
October 6, 2026

Microsoft distinguished engineer fires back at anti-Windows 11 rage-bait, says “more developers use Windows” than Linux or macOS

Microsoft Distinguished Engineer David Fowler addressed a viral post on social media that dismissed Windows as a viable operating system for developers, asserting that Windows is the most widely used operating system among developers. According to Stack Overflow’s 2025 Developer Survey, Windows is preferred by 49.5% of professional developers, while macOS is at 32.9% and Ubuntu at 27.7%. WSL accounted for 16.8%, and Linux outside of WSL garnered 16.7%. In contrast, a poll by The Pragmatic Engineer indicated Windows usage among developers at only 12%, with macOS at 61.6% and Linux at 24.2%. The appeal of Unix tooling is significant for web, cloud, backend, and AI developers, while Windows remains popular among .NET and C# developers, Visual Studio users, and game developers. Microsoft is enhancing its Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) to better cater to developers' needs.
Google researcher explains why Windows NT "puts Linux to shame," and imagines an alternate history where it won
Winsage
September 27, 2026

Google researcher explains why Windows NT “puts Linux to shame,” and imagines an alternate history where it won

Laurie Kirk, a Google researcher and former Microsoft reverse engineer, argues that the Windows NT kernel is superior to Linux in several aspects, particularly in its architecture for managing resources and access permissions. She emphasizes that her critique focuses on the system architecture rather than the user interface of Windows 11. Kirk raises concerns about Linux's suitability for AI agents due to its complex security model, while praising NT's object-based design and security framework. She speculates on an alternate history where Microsoft had created an "Open NT," allowing for customizable components, but acknowledges the challenges of maintaining forks in operating systems. Critics of NT highlight its performance and reliability issues, while Linux's open-source nature has contributed to its dominance in servers and cloud computing. Kirk suggests that future operating systems may need to balance the defined resource types of NT with the flexibility of Linux, especially as AI technology evolves.
Windows has been so buggy I paused monthly updates, and now I wait for reports before installing anything
Winsage
September 22, 2026

Windows has been so buggy I paused monthly updates, and now I wait for reports before installing anything

Users frequently express frustration with Windows updates due to unexpected restarts and frequent breakdowns, leading to a perception of being beta testers for Microsoft. Problems often arise with updates, including significant disruptions from routine maintenance updates. Recent issues included difficulties with the Windows Subsystem for Linux and copy-paste functionality in Microsoft Excel. In July, Microsoft paused an update due to unexpected shutdowns on some Dell PCs. Users are increasingly adopting a wait-and-see approach before installing updates, utilizing Windows 11's ability to pause updates for several weeks. Historically, Windows lacked robust update management, but recent changes have extended the pause period. There is a significant concern regarding the limited control users have over updates and the need for improved quality control from Microsoft.
Excel keeps people on Windows, and a Linux distro creator wants Microsoft to end that
Winsage
September 7, 2026

Excel keeps people on Windows, and a Linux distro creator wants Microsoft to end that

Omarchy is a Linux distribution created by David Heinemeier Hansson (DHH), designed for developers and creators, based on Arch Linux. DHH has challenged Microsoft to develop native Office applications for Linux, highlighting that while Microsoft 365's web version is available, Linux users only access about 90% of the functionality compared to Windows users. Microsoft’s revenue from Windows has decreased by 7% year-over-year, while Microsoft 365 Commercial cloud revenue has grown by 14%, and Azure by 43%. Windows now accounts for only 5% of Microsoft's total revenue, indicating a shift towards cloud services. Microsoft has launched Edge for Linux and supports tools like VS Code and PowerShell on the platform. The web version of Office lacks features found in the desktop version, affecting usability for professionals. Despite Linux's growing interest, particularly through the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL), it may not be enough to prompt Microsoft to prioritize a native Office port. DHH's Omarchy aims to create a user-friendly Linux experience rather than convert Windows users.
Announcing Project Zenith: The ready-to-code Windows experience on developer-class devices
Winsage
September 4, 2026

Announcing Project Zenith: The ready-to-code Windows experience on developer-class devices

Windows announced Project Zenith, a developer-optimized Windows 11 experience designed for devices with over 64 GB of unified memory and memory bandwidth exceeding 250 GB/s. The project will initially launch with AMD’s Ryzen AI Halo and will include preconfigured Windows setups and a curated selection of development tools. Devices under Project Zenith will allow developers to run models with over 30 billion parameters locally, reducing reliance on cloud resources. Enhancements to Windows 11 include improved performance and a cleaner workspace tailored for coding, with features like pinned Windows Terminal and Visual Studio Code. Project Zenith also integrates the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) and provides a secure environment for developing agentic applications, leveraging OS-enforced identity and Microsoft Execution Containers (MXC). The initiative aims to offer a consistent ready-to-code experience across various devices while responding to developer needs and evolving with advancements in AI and software development.
In a rare move, Google is bringing native Windows 11 and WSL support to its new AI tools
Winsage
August 30, 2026

In a rare move, Google is bringing native Windows 11 and WSL support to its new AI tools

The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is gaining popularity among developers, with GitHub introducing experimental support for WSL in its Copilot desktop application, allowing Linux environments to be used directly within Windows. Google is also integrating WSL support into its Antigravity development platform, marking a shift in its approach to Windows support. Rody Davis from Google confirmed that both WSL and native Windows support are being developed for Antigravity, which will enable file operations and shell commands in a Linux environment. GitHub Copilot now allows users to create sessions inside WSL, enhancing the development experience by enabling real-time interaction with projects in a WSL environment. Additionally, Microsoft is focusing on improving Windows for developers, with initiatives like Coreutils for Windows and the open-sourcing of WinUI, while Ubuntu is reportedly gaining traction on Windows 11.
One of the biggest Linux distros is growing faster thanks to WSL for Windows 11 than it is its own desktop
Winsage
August 17, 2026

One of the biggest Linux distros is growing faster thanks to WSL for Windows 11 than it is its own desktop

The growth of Ubuntu on the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is outpacing traditional desktop usage, with expectations that the number of Ubuntu users on WSL will soon surpass those using it natively. Jon Seagar, VP of Engineering at Canonical, noted that the growth in WSL numbers is significantly higher than that of desktop usage. WSL allows users to run Linux applications seamlessly within the Windows 11 environment, and Microsoft continues to enhance WSL with new features like WSL Containers.
Search