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.
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ChristopherFortineux - Friday, June 8, 2018 - link
Set it as a metered connection stops all upload of any information.sibuna - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
updated 7 or so comps to it over a week ago. no issues. only thing that happened is on a cpl comps it assigned a drive letter to the hidden system HDD partition which is fixed in about 3 secondsdamianrobertjones - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
Capitals at the start of sentences can be your friend.deepblue08 - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
Update was smooth on my Dell XPS 13 (2017) and smooth on my Custom Built 6700K/Z170x/Samsung950Pro machinewr3zzz - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
I will gladly forgo the new "features" in exchange of no unwanted bugs and getting planned obsolescence forced on me. I cannot believe even with the Pro version I cannot lock down my own OS.ಬುಲ್ವಿಂಕಲ್ ಜೆ ಮೂಸ್ - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
Same hereI'm still running Windows XP without ANY Microsoft security updates and am on the Internet almost every day with it
It is completely Locked Down and immune to ransomware and other threats
It hasn't had a Blue Screen of Death in over 10 years
and there are no backdoors from Microsoft to worry about
I LOVE IT!
damianrobertjones - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
I'm looking at Windows 10's group policy via the mmc right now? Why can't you lock it down?wr3zzz - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
There is no option to opt out of the semiannual updates. The max you can delay an update is 360 days with the Pro. I had to look it up after the FCU broke my Dolby audio and took me more than 30 days to realize it was the OS, by that time it's already past the 30 days rollback period. I reverted the HTPC back to 8.1 to avoid getting the forced obsolescence but what happens when that PC needs to be replaced and the only choice is Win10?Alexvrb - Sunday, May 27, 2018 - link
Don't try to engage with TrollWinkle. He'll tell you how the aliens come probe you if you use Windows 10.PeachNCream - Friday, May 25, 2018 - link
Given the amount of effort Microsoft is putting into making 10 Linux-friendly, I don't see why they wouldn't just fork Debian like everyone else or at least borrow the Linux kernel like Google did with Android.