The Windows 10 April Update (1803): The Littlest Big Update
by Brett Howse on May 25, 2018 8:00 AM EST- Posted in
- Software
- Operating Systems
- Windows
- Microsoft
- Windows 10
Command Line and Windows Subsystem for Linux
The Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) has dramatically changed the development opportunities on Windows, and has become very popular. Microsoft has updated it continuously as well, bringing requested features and updates to really improve the experience. With the April Update, there’s once again some nice additions to Linux support on Windows.
What was once a somewhat arduous task, installing Linux distros on Windows now is something that’s moved to the Store, and for the April Update, there’s a couple of new distros available. Kali Linux is now an option, as well as the very popular Debian GNU/Linux. For those that want to run multiple distros, Windows 10 supports having multiple versions installed and running simultaneously.
Likely a very vocal request, background tasks were previously available but would end if the console window was closed. With the April Update, that’s no longer the case.
The WSL team has now brought Unix sockets to Windows as well, so you can communicate over these sockets between Windows and WSL.
People that do Linux admin will be aware of OpenSSH, and Microsoft has brought both a the OpenSSH client and server to Windows. The client is enabled by default, and the server is an on-demand feature as it likely should be.
Both Tar and Curl commands have also arrived in Windows 10’s command line interface, and Microsoft has created a new tool called wslpath to let you easily convert paths between Windows and Linux.
You can now do Linux permissions on files, with the new permission added as metadata to the file, and case sensitivity is now an opt-in feature, although to start an argument, case sensitivity is one of the most annoying features of Linux.
Console Applications Now Supported as UWP
There’s often no easier solution to a problem than a quick console application, but before the April Update, there was no way to distribute these apps through the Store. With the April Update, Console UWP is now supported, so developers can ship and update through the store just like any other UWP app.
Facebook
Twitter
RSS
161 Comments
View All Comments
stuffwhy - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
I'm happy to have a small, feature light update. Even if it isn't the case, it serves to make me feel that the focus is more toward the core of the software, and not bolting things on additionally. Personally, I rarely engage in any new features, especially anything in Edge, so less time interrupted by installing smaller updates is ok to me.Duncan Macdonald - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
Even better - 10 yearly intervals. Please Microsoft - leave it alone - no more interface tweaks and compatibility problems. There is no benefit to the users from the changes and there is a cost to M$ to produce them so why keep doing it.All that is wanted is bugfixes and driver updates - leave everything else alone.
(In case anyone thinks that I am saying Windows 10 is perfect - I am not - however I do not believe that it is within the capability of Microsoft to make it better - just different and worse.)
Holliday75 - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
I guess we'll see how much they value your opinion the next couple of years.ಬುಲ್ವಿಂಕಲ್ ಜೆ ಮೂಸ್ - Saturday, May 26, 2018 - link
We have been waiting 37 years to see how much they value our opinion....Are you sure its only a couple more?
BurntMyBacon - Tuesday, May 29, 2018 - link
Oh, they've shown us plenty of times in the last 37 year how much (or little) they value our opinion. Of course, we'll get to see how much they (still don't?) value our opinion in just 6 months with the next update. Though, I doubt it will be any different than the current update, or the six months prior to that, ...JCB994 - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
Is this the update from a few weeks ago? Never could get it to complete the install. Would get almost done and then suddenly uninstall. Finally downloaded an MS program to bypass updates. I have the HP Envy x360 with Ryzen 2500u. No problem downloading and installing on my other PCs (Dell Alienware Aurora R1 and Dell Precision 7510).Duncan Macdonald - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
With GDPR Microsoft will need to drastically revise their data collection. As it stands their telemetry is incompatible with GDPR as it collects data without informed consent and without the ability to say NO. A fine of 4% of their global turnover might get the Microsoft board to actually care about protecting privacy.haplo602 - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
As long as MS is collecting only non-identifiable data, they don't need any consent ....ಬುಲ್ವಿಂಕಲ್ ಜೆ ಮೂಸ್ - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
Fake News!stephenbrooks - Saturday, May 26, 2018 - link
I don't see how "all my browsing history and every task I have ever done on any of my devices including what I looked at, in chronological order" is non-personally-identifiable data.