back to article Oracle Linux appears somewhere unexpected: The Windows Store

On the last day of January, Oracle Linux 8.5, the current version of Big Red's RHEL-alike, quietly appeared on the Windows Store. It's packaged to run on the Windows Subsystem for Linux and says it needs Windows 10 version 19041.0 or newer. That's the much-delayed Windows 10 May 2020 update, also known as 20H1. This is the …

  1. Will Godfrey Silver badge
    Unhappy

    No Thanks

    I'm afraid I regard anything from Oracle as irrecoverably tainted.

    1. Jonathon Green
      Trollface

      Re: No Thanks

      Except their money. I’m quite happy to (indirectly, through my employer) take their money…

    2. A.P. Veening Silver badge

      Re: No Thanks

      I'm afraid I regard anything from Oracle as irrecoverably tainted.

      VirtualBox has its uses (and is free), but I'd say that is the exception proving the rule.

      1. JAB van Ree

        Re: No Thanks

        But read the license on the VirtualBox Extensions pack ... written to be used as a cash cow at some future point in time. And since it's required for USB2 or better it's almost unavoidable.

  2. A Non e-mouse Silver badge
    Stop

    I'd advise anyone to avoid it like the plague. The words "Oracle" and "free" are uneasy bedfellows.

    1. A.P. Veening Silver badge

      The words "Oracle" and "free" are uneasy bedfellows.

      Usually true, VirtualBox being a nice exception.

  3. Pascal Monett Silver badge

    A Linux distro from the Windows Store ?

    If I am going to install a Linux distro, I will do that on my own, thank you very much. I don't need or want Borkzilla's interference in any way, shape or form.

    And if I am to use a VM, it will be on a Linux machine hosting a Windows VM. Seems much more secure to me.

    1. Anonymous Coward
      Linux

      Re: A Linux distro from the Windows Store ?

      It's good that you have the option.

      Unfortunately, for those who work in companies that mandate the Windows desktop, this may be the only way for them to get Linux.

  4. DJV Silver badge

    Oracle Linux + Windows Store

    Two things to be avoided at all costs.

  5. 7teven 4ect

    Please tell me it is not true?

    Now that windows has a linux subsystem, will it now be worthwhile for agents to develop exploits targeting linux, and will exploits targeting the widows linux subsystem affect regular linux?

    1. DoContra

      Re: Please tell me it is not true?

      Linux exploits have been worthwhile for a looooooooooong time now (they tend to net you server access, cellphone access, and/or embedded systems access, with the latter two being pretty much undetectable in practice[1]). As for the second point:

      - Exploits using strictly user-space programs (web servers, e-mail servers, the works) should work just as well in WSL1, WSL2, and bare-metal */Linux[2]

      - As for kernel exploits, anything developed for WSL1 _probably_ won't work in "pure" Linux nor WSL2 because it isn't Linux (WSL1 sort-of works like Wine, but more integrated into the Kernel). WSL2 is somewhere between paravirtualized and fully virtualized Linux[3] using a custom kernel provided by Microsoft; exploits found there are much more likely to also be present in vanilla/distro-patched Linux and vice-versa (unless they're in the custom code Microsoft made for better integration with windows/etc).

      [1]: Because few if any people are monitoring such devices for naughtiness (and in most cases the device vendor would rather you didn't)

      [2]: Includes containers and Linux running in a VM

      [3]: Made ostensibly because Microsoft couldn't keep up with the pace of new system calls in vanilla Linux; by (para)virtualizing a patched kernel they had quite a bit less work

  6. Doctor Syntax Silver badge

    I don't expect to see Devuan in that list so I'll just keep running it on bare metal.

    1. Jim-234

      I'd happily contribute like $100 towards getting them to make a nice packaged setup in the windows store for fun.

      It would be an interesting crowdfunding idea if they were interested.

  7. Howard Sway Silver badge

    Oracle Linux appears somewhere unexpected

    If an actual home user downloaded and installed it, that'd certainly be true.

  8. ronkee

    Good news

    It's an easy way to get Red Hat command line syntax and package management for Windows users.

    This is great for learners as tutorials are sometimes specific to Red Hat/CentOS and lots of people don't want to learn how to use Red Hat and Ubuntu.

    Good news, it's another route for new users into Linux.

  9. Bitcrazed

    Inaccurate

    Hi. (former) PM for WSL here.

    Firstly, the sideswipe at Fedora Remix for WSL was completely unnecessary: When will the software world get over the fact that paying people who build, support, and maintain useful tools, apps, etc. is not only acceptable, but also necessary if we want to enjoy those tools, apps, etc. long into the future?

    It's worth remembering that "Blowing out someone else’s flame doesn’t make yours shine brighter".

    Secondly, WSL is not an NT kernel "personality" and is in no way related to NT's POSIX subsystem. Not even slightly. They are entirely different implementations of different things and share zero architecture and implementation details.

    1. David 132 Silver badge

      Re: Inaccurate

      Good points. I read the article as less of a swipe, more a “uh, there’s something on here claiming to be Fedora but it costs, Fedora is usually free so proceed with caution”. I think the author perhaps suspected that the “Fedora remix” was one of those sketchy knockoff products that plague app stores.

      It’s academic now though, as I see someone’s edited the article text - probably prompted by your comments - to make it clearer that the remix is a legit project.

  10. This post has been deleted by its author

  11. Maugroen

    I think it is Nice. Gives the opportunity tot add An extra Linux vm in my home networks, based on The distro commonly used in Enterprise s. SQLdeveloper and VirtualBox are Nice and free tools as well,. Mainz issue that remains is to route WSL2 to my subnet used nu the Windows desktops

POST COMMENT House rules

Not a member of The Register? Create a new account here.

  • Enter your comment

  • Add an icon

Anonymous cowards cannot choose their icon

Other stories you might like