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Lee McCuller looked into using the windows subsystem for linux to run LIGO software.
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WSL is now built into windows, running a Linux kernel that is supported by Microsoft. Surprisingly, it allows you to install Debian directly into windows from their app store. Debian can then be configured to run LIGO software, and this has been demonstrated.
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Some notes and caveats: While linux code runs natively, WSL still runs within a sandbox that isolates the case-sensitive WSL linux filesystem and unix-based networking. This isn't obvious as it is relatively seemless. WSL behaves a bit like a guest VM with file-sharing to the host automatically well-configured.
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The most noticeable issue is that an xserver doesn't run by default and is not native, so out of the box, WSL only runs console applications. I installed an app x410 (not free) which runs the xserver in windows, and WSL then connects and runs graphical apps like foton or dtt from. Chris Whittle has used the app XcVnc to do the same thing. It is free, but not installable through the app store.
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I installed the newer WSL 2 version that uses the kernel module. Details at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/compare-versions#whats-new-in-wsl-2
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and more background details in general at https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/
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I essentially just followed the instructions in https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/install-manual
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and specified "debian" for the linux distribution whenever needed.
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To setup xserver. I installed x410 and followed https://x410.dev/cookbook/wsl/setting-up-wsl-for-linux-gui-apps/
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My understanding is that windows 11 will come with WSL that has an integrated xserver, fixing this issue. This comes from https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/windows/wsl/tutorials/gui-apps
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After all of that, I configured debian like a normal CDS controls machine, and pretty much everything appeared to be working. Given that the xserver isn't natively working and the filesystem is so sandboxed, I would say that using linux from a Virtualbox or other VM is still more simple, as configured images are easier to distribute. Once windows 11 is more widespread, this may be the easiest way to provide the debian controls workstation to users, or to provide a conda install without adding windows-specific builds.
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