FreeBSD Support

[FalloutZone]

Support FreeBSD Binaries and System Calls

Expected Result:
Run FreeBSD on the subsystem

FreeBSD is a very popular server operating system with deep roots in web and cloud development. Please support FreeBSD in the Windows 10 "WSL" feature.

[drsn0w]

This is Windows Subsystem for Linux, not FreeBSD or other *NIX environments.

[FalloutZone]

Yes, you are correct - WSL is for ELF/Linux. This is a request to make this, or a similar system on Windows 10 WSL to support other open source *NIX environments - specifically FreeBSD.

[sunilmut]

@FalloutZone - Thanks for the feedback. What you are essentially asking for is "WSB" (Windows Subsystem for BSD). User voice ticket would be a great way to provide that feedback. Something that we look at for our future prioritization.

[eeboaz]

I would like to see this as well. I prefer the FreeBSD operating system over Linux for server and development use cases and this would make Windows 10 a much more viable option for a development platform for me. I will look at the User voice ticket link provided.

[iz0eyj]

it may be that it becomes useful in a possible version for use on servers, but the use of *BSD in desktop machines is really very limited.

[Onepamopa]

I would also like to see Windows Subsystem for FreeBSD.

[eeboaz]

it may be that it becomes useful in a possible version for use on servers, but the use of *BSD in desktop machines is really very limited.

There's no good reason to arbitrarily permit *BSD only on servers but not on desktops.
The use case for WSL is not the server market - it's the developer desktop market.

BSD is much the same. This would let me have one system at work where I have to use Windows for corporate stuff (exchange/email/calendar, visio, etc.) and BSD where I code for servers running FreeBSD
Apple is continuing to make a mockery of macOS and isn't really viable any more.

[iz0eyj]

@eeboaz:
I have absolutely nothing against BSD, but his primary field of use are the servers and network devices. The WSL we have now is not suitable for use on any of the two types of object, and the effort needed to create in "WSB", at least in my opinion, it would be totally unjustified.
If later the characteristics of WSL will change in a direction that will be suitable for those uses, then it will change my opinion.

[eeboaz]

@iz0eyj
Why are you insisting on this view point that we're wanting to run production systems on WSL/WSB?

This is exactly counter to the purposes of WSL in the first place, straight from the FAQ:

Who is this for?

This is primarily a tool for developers -- especially web developers and those who work on or with open source projects. This allows those who want/need to use Bash, common Linux tools (sed, awk, etc.) and many Linux-first tools (Ruby, Python, etc.) to use their toolchain on Windows.

[iz0eyj]

@eeboaz:
where you see reported the BSD say in what you brought? if anything at all WSL documents contain references to Linux and exclusively to Linux. For a project to be successful it needs there are users who then use it ... the development team has a cost, are not eople who work for the glory.
What do you prove by that passage? which it is directed ONLY to the developers? is not the case, this is what he would like some of them but it does not. For any developer who receive WSL exist thousand and thousand ordinary users; It will be sufficient for an ordinary user of a hundred active WSL to see them dominate much the number of developers.
There are no end-user Windows interested in BSD, they want Ubuntu Linux.
WSL is not a product for the community "free software" but it is a Windows component, whose main target will be Windows users, be they end users or developers.

[eeboaz]

@iz0eyj

There are no end-user Windows interested in BSD, they want Ubuntu Linux.

I did't know you spoke for the entire Windows community. Right, you don't.
You're not going to dissuade me from being vocal that I would like this support.

We're just asking the development team at Microsoft to consider supporting FreeBSD in addition to Linux when they've reached their primary goal of supporting Ubuntu Linux. I don't see how having options harms you at all, so please be considerate and let me and others ask for the same option: using the Windows subsystem to support the user-land of the operating system we prefer to use for our development work.

[rustyx]

I'm surprised this "issue" is still open - this project is about Linux emulation, after all.
BSD user mode is way more tightly coupled to the kernel than Linux. Given that, plus the dynamic nature of the FreeBSD ecosystem, emulating a BSD kernel would be an exercise in futility.
Which is no problem at all because there is very, very few reasons to emulate BSD anyway.
You can never use it for testing - if your code doesn't work, you'd always want to try it on a real BSD.

It's not about having the option, it's about spending hundreds or thousands of development hours to create and maintain something that is marginally useful.

[aseering]

G'day all -- there are some valuable opinions here, but could I request that we keep this thread on topic?

The topic here is a request for support for a BSD userspace. That is a valid technical request. It is up to the WSL team to pick it up or not. I, for one, trust them to have sound judgment. If you have supporting use cases or technical commentary on making that happen, please post it here.

If, on the other hand, you think this is a totally silly idea, stop replying and bumping up the ticket's post-count :-) According to this repository's README, issues remain open until the "discussion has run its course." So I encourage you to resist the urge to correct the thing that you see as Wrong On The Internet, and let the thread come to a stop.

[therealkenc]

User Voice is here.

[ruffianeo]

The one reason I would love to see FreeBSD support (even instead of linux) is that I have a deadly GPL allergy and I try to stay clear of such (legal) issues by avoiding Linux whenever I can. The "mostly for network and servers" argument does not cut it IMHO. FreeBSD is THE Unix for people who hate GPL.

[Biswa96]

As WSL2 now relies on virtual machine, if BSD has a proper Hyper-V socket support it may be possible to port the init binary to BSD. The rest is just socket read-write and pty.

[ghost]

As WSL2 now relies on virtual machine, if BSD has a proper Hyper-V socket support it may be possible to port the init binary to BSD. The rest is just socket read-write and pty.

Looks like there's a WIP: https://reviews.freebsd.org/D24061

[ykla]

Also hope Windows will supports FreeBSD.

[xpader]

Microsoft love Linux, not FreeBSD..
They just stolen code from FreeBSD~~
Maybe WSL should be rename to WSU (Windows Subsystem for Unix).

[Biswa96]

If the code of every WSL components are free and open source it wouldn't take more than a day to port to any *nix system assuming the OS support HyperV sockets (see above).

[starafar]

As WSL2 now relies on virtual machine, if BSD has a proper Hyper-V socket support it may be possible to port the init binary to BSD. The rest is just socket read-write and pty.

Looks like there's a WIP: https://reviews.freebsd.org/D24061

This is a dead link. I, too, would love to see a "WSB" capability. I can run BSD just fine in Hyper-V.

It absolutely stuns me how much ignorance and misinformation I'm seeing in this issue, by the way.

the use of *BSD in desktop machines is really very limited.

Maybe you don't, but I certainly do. I have three workstations in my office: Windows for gaming (I'm lazy, sorry), Linux, and FreeBSD. Anything I TRULY care about, I do on the FreeBSD machine, because I require absolute reliability in my work.

primary field of use are the servers and network devices.

See above.

For a project to be successful it needs there are users who then use it

No one uses FreeBSD? News to me.

This one is particularly egregious:

There are no end-user Windows interested in BSD, they want Ubuntu Linux.

I'm a Windows user, as stated previously. I also use Linux, and I also use BSD. I also won't touch Ubuntu with a six-parsec long pole. And yes, parsecs are a unit of distance, not time.

there is very, very few reasons to emulate BSD anyway.

Aside from everything a BSD user would do on a desktop or for development?

You can never use it for testing

What? I don't even have a pithy response for this one.

I would encourage anyone wanting to further comment on this to actually familiarize what *BSD is instead of spouting stereotypes and complete nonsense here.

[jmb49]

Looks like there's a WIP: https://reviews.freebsd.org/D24061
This is a dead link.

Access granted today from France (2021, Fev 06th). FYI.

[jmb49]

Maybe WSL should be rename to WSU (Windows Subsystem for Unix).

Before WSL Redmond's Seven brought us Win SUA. I let you discover what it was ; but it was close and it was not sLa...

[Biswa96]

This is a dead link.

The link works in my case.

I, too, would love to see a "WSB" capability.

In that link, there are also changes made by Microsoft. So, they are working on it. If init and initrd were free and open source WSB would be a real thing now.

[starafar]

The link works in my case.

Yeah, works for me now, too. Oops? 😛

[jmb49]

If init and initrd were free and open source WSB would be a real thing now.

I think this is the point OR... well I must amdmit I could have misunderstood everything :)
PS : absolutely no pb with you, f0x1de, especialy Star Treck fanatic 👍

[Biswa96]

Does anyone know how to re-create the initrd.img file? It's in C:\Windows\System32\lxss\tools\initrd.img. Want to test something.

[ykla]

This UserVoice instance is no longer available. Please reopen this issue.