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How to minimize pain of Windows in work environment? (sh.itjust.works)

submitted 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago) by [email protected] to c/linux

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Hello all! I began working today, where the work is closely related to programming. Despite this, the work computer is set up as Windows (eww). I want to look for work-arounds, as installing linux on a work machine is a no-go.

I wonder, what is the way to minimize pain from having to use windows? Either that, or a way to maximize work done on linux-like stuffs. A linux server is given for us, and I think I can install WSL. Any recommendations on this setup?

Especially, I miss the virtual desktop feature, is there any way to use it? Is there a way I can run compositor through WSL? Also, should I install Pop! OS for the feature, or is it available on e.g. Ubuntu (default WSL)?

Sorry to ask a non-exclusively-linux question, but I think, hopefully, many linux people have experience to give me pointers what to do with a windows work environment.

EDIT: The Windows is Windows 10.

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[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 day ago (1 children)

If you're allowed a VM, I would recommend using that. Trying to make Windows suitable for dev work is a bottomless pit...

[–] [email protected] 1 points 21 hours ago (2 children)

Any good hypervisor? On Windows it seems like you either have hyper-V or VMware. (Virtual box isn't an option because licensing BS)

[–] [email protected] 1 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

VirtualBox itself is under GPLv3. Only the Extension Pack has a wonky license, and you only need that, if you want to e.g. pass a USB port directly into the VM. Or are you not allowed to even just use GPLv3 software?

VMware was also good a few years ago, although of course paid software. Since we last used it, it has been acquired by Broadcom, though, and I have read that the prices are now rather extortionate, but I don't know, if that also applies to the desktop software.

And I don't know how you'd actually use Hyper-V without a frontend like VirtualBox or VMware.

But honestly, if it makes your VM run, it's probably good enough. The main thing you need for dev work is a CPU and to my knowledge, CPU passthrough is a problem solved by all mainstream hypervisors, meaning you get close to 100% of the CPU speed inside the VM, no matter what you use.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 6 hours ago* (last edited 6 hours ago) (1 children)

The trickly part about Virtualbox is that they like to trick you into using the guest addons. Also last time I checked copy and paste didn't work without the addons but it has been a while. Hyper-V has its own console and its own tooling if you are fine with it. It isn't bad but I don't personally care for it. VMware pro is free now but I would rather avoid Broadcom.

Linux virtualization is better by far. I wish there were more options that were actually multiplatform.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 hours ago (1 children)

You're mixing things up there. The Guest Additions is something different than the Extension Pack. The Guest Additions is just a package that gets installed in the virtualized/guest OS, which yeah, makes the clipboard work and sets the resolution correctly and things like that. As far as I can tell from the source code, the Guest Additions are under MIT license, though I didn't check every file.

And VMware Pro is only free for personal use, so at least for OP, that wouldn't work.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago (1 children)

I believe VMware Pro is now free for everyone but I could be mistaken.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 1 hour ago

Ah, I believe you're right. When I looked it up just then, this was the first result, which I figured was what you're talking about (and which I had heard about): https://blogs.vmware.com/workstation/2024/05/vmware-workstation-pro-now-available-free-for-personal-use.html

But apparently, they changed their policy again, just half a year later: https://blogs.vmware.com/cloud-foundation/2024/11/11/vmware-fusion-and-workstation-are-now-free-for-all-users/

[–] [email protected] 0 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Proxmox? :P I don't know if that's actually a good rec lol

[–] [email protected] 0 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

That's a OS not a Windows application

[–] [email protected] 1 points 19 hours ago

Oh I didn't think you meant still on windows, my b lol