Consider using WSL2 + zsh + the new Windows terminal emulator for 2022

[joelostblom]

WSL2 is supposed to be installed by default in newer versions of Windows, it will be able to run GUI applications, and MS finally are developing what seems to be a decent terminal emulator (which will be compatible with Ubuntu via WSL).

Please see #70 for more details around terminal emulators for Windows.

[joelostblom]

Articles mentioning current workarounds or tips for using WSL that we need to test which are still needed in 2021:

• Using WSL with windows executalbles, accessing wsl applications from windows and the other way around, running docker in wsl
• Git running slowly in windows projects
• System notifications, dotfiles adaption, (also general setup tips)
• WSL tips and tricks
• Using Linux Git outsdie WSL
• Sharing env variables
• Use the windos insider program for more recent updates?
• Do we need wslgit?
• More tips and tricks and docker flaws

[joelostblom]

Some notes on using R on different OSes

[joelostblom]

This would also let us use the autjump builtin z in zsh as well as partial name completion, which is something that came up this yeat.

[joelostblom]

The TLDR is that it is probably good to wait another year until Linux GUI support in WSL is stable, then we can just point people to our instructions for Ubuntu for WSL, maybe with minor tweaks. It would not be nice to switch this year and then again. Maybe we can switch to windows Terminal for now, it will be used with WSL also and supports git bash.

• Notes on installing jupyterlab in wsl, seems straightforward.
• A WSL 2 environment for data science is time consuming to set up, but well worth the effort.
• Waiting until Linux GUI apps a re supported might be a good idea, then windows users can essentially use the Ubuntu instruction we have not. Until then they have to do workaround like shown here running R-studio server and Jupyter without a browser etc and this rather long doc for vscode with WSL

[joelostblom]

Some progress, now you can run GUI apps on Win 10 and 11 and the store version is more recent https://www.zdnet.com/article/microsofts-windows-subsystem-for-linux-just-hit-a-major-milestone/