Re: [coLinux-users] suggestion: linux runtime environment

[Christopher D. C. <ccl...@ac...>]

Michael Reichenbach <mic...@fr...> wrote:
> Christopher D. Clausen wrote:
>> Running coLinux is certinaly not as safe and easy as running a
>> piece of Java code in a VM.
>
> Never thought that this could become the biggest problem. If so, why
> this project exists then? Just for fun and to show that it`s possible?
> Sure not, what?

Back when I was first using coLinux, Virtual PC was not free (as in no 
money.)

>> Also be aware of security implications of doing such things.  Java is
>> somewhat sandboxed, coLinux is not.  CoLinux can crash your computer.
>
> Is this a big problem? No workarround?

It is a big problem for me.  Running Linux in Virtual PC or Virtual 
Server these days costs nothing additional and has a significantly lower 
change of taking down the host OS.  With hardware virtualization support 
in newer processor, the performance impact in significantly reduced.

> There is no big package archive like the one from debian. And
> realistic, I doub`t there will ever be one. So this program may be
> nice but it lacks contributers.

The program itself is fine.  And many packages are available for Windows 
in MSI format.  Someone just needs to actually create a repository. 
Trying to get non-native stuff to sort-of work will provide an 
alternative and further delay the work to just install things using MSIs 
directly from a Windows software repository.

>> Again, why not just port these things to run on Windows?
>
> Porting is sometimes complicated. Ok, if you use platform portable
> libs then it`s much more easy. But often the program was native for
> one platform only, then users started asking for a port. If it`s
> using linux specific libs or posix api or specific things like
> /proc/cpuinfo which windows does not provide then porting is not so
> easy.

Yes, but you could look at using the Subsystem for Unix applications 
(SUA) to port non-Windows code to Windows.

> Another reason is that there are tons of programs. Why "10.000" people
> start porting all those apps if just 1 project could allow to run all
> linux native programs also on windows because of this "trick"?

There are even more programs for Windows.  Someone just needs to bundle 
them in MSIs and setup a repository.

>> And windows has a packaging technology that uses MSI files.  Just
>> download an MSI and install.  Why mess with a non-native system for
>> software installs?  It is complicated and will certainly always be
>> more dificult than just using native software.
>
> I see you are not that convicted of my idea. :) No offense at all.

I just don't want you to spend a lot of time on something I don't think 
a lot of people will use due to the ability to crash and/or break into 
the host OS.

> May I ask why you are interested in this project?

When I started using it, Microsoft Virtual PC cost money.  It is now 
free and has nearly replaced my need to use coLinux.  And this need will 
be even further reduced with the hypervisor in Windows 2008 Server.

<<CDC