Tech Advisor - UK (2020-06)

JUNE 2020 • TECH ADVISOR 5

Bar, however, and isn’t afraid to serve niche audiences

with upgrades to the Windows Subsystem for Linux

and the related Terminal app.

As in the past, we’ve based our review on Microsoft’s

Windows 10 20H1 Insider builds, beginning with

the major features and working through to its minor

additions. Though Microsoft essentially signalled that

the 20H1 release was finished by January, we waited

until the end of February to complete our tests. It’s

important to note, however, that Microsoft hasn’t

announced when the ‘final’ 20H1 version will ship,

and a few more bugs may be fixed before then.

Meet the Windows Subsystem

for Linux 2, and Terminal

When Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem

for Linux (WSL) as part of the Windows 10 Anniversary

Update in 2016, it was a shock to see Microsoft

embrace Linux after opposing it for so many years.

But the original Windows Subsystem for Linux was

hobbled by the fact that it wasn’t running a real

Linux kernel. Certain kernel modules, such as device

drivers, were unable to run.

With WSL2, Linux now runs on its own kernel, in

what’s essentially a virtual machine. If you use Linux,

you’ll also be able to place your Linux files within the

Linux root file system, and access them via Windows

File Explorer inside the Linux virtual hard disk.

Consequently, performance is expected to improve,

one of the key upgrades for WSL2 over WSL1.

To set it up, you’ll need to enable Windows’

Linux capabilities manually via the ‘Turn Windows

JUNE 2020 • TECH ADVISOR 5

Bar,however, and isn’t afraid to serve niche audiences
withupgradestotheWindowsSubsystemforLinux
andthe related Terminal app.
As in the past, we’ve based our review on Microsoft’s
Windows 10 20H1 Insider builds, beginning with
the major features and working through to its minor
additions. Though Microsoft essentially signalled that
the 20H1 release was finished by January, we waited
until the end of February to complete our tests. It’s
important to note, however, that Microsoft hasn’t
announcedwhenthe‘final’20H1versionwillship,
anda few more bugs may be fixed before then.

Meet the Windows Subsystem
for Linux 2, and Terminal
When Microsoft introduced the Windows Subsystem
for Linux (WSL) as part of the Windows 10 Anniversary
Update in 2016, it was a shock to see Microsoft
embraceLinuxafteropposingit forsomanyyears.
Butthe original Windows Subsystem for Linux was
hobbledbythefactthatit wasn’trunninga real
Linuxkernel. Certain kernel modules, such as device
drivers, were unable to run.
With WSL2, Linux now runs on its own kernel, in
what’s essentially a virtual machine. If you use Linux,
you’ll also be able to place your Linux files within the
Linux root file system, and access them via Windows
File Explorer inside the Linux virtual hard disk.
Consequently, performance is expected to improve,
one of the key upgrades for WSL2 over WSL1.
To set it up, you’ll need to enable Windows’
Linux capabilities manually via the ‘Turn Windows