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. EDIT: It seems like using WSL is servicable, while being janky at times. Gotta see how it goes.

  • Onomatopoeia@lemmy.cafe
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    1 month ago

    Why aren’t you discussing this with your leadership?

    If you’re doing Linux dev work, there must be a reason your team is using Windows, and they have process around dev tasks. And your team must have process/tools for what your role does.

    This seems very much like an internal discussion around what your team does.

    • mox@lemmy.sdf.org
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      1 month ago

      +1 for bringing it up as serious discussion.

      The last time I had to ask permission for something like this, the issue turned out to be simply that the IT staff wasn’t trained in Linux and therefore couldn’t support it. I was more than capable of administering my own Linux box and ensuring that it wouldn’t become a risk to our company network, so we agreed that I would do that.

      It was a win-win result: I had the tool I needed to be most productive, and IT had fewer machines to support.

    • someacnt@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      1 month ago

      I see, I gotta talk about it with the leadership. For context, my work is just a small university lab (5~20 people), so I expect it to be less organized.

      • BatmanAoD@programming.dev
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        1 month ago

        Actually, it’s pretty surprising to me that a small university lab is forcing a specific version of a specific OS on you.

        • someacnt@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          1 month ago

          It is not forcing per se, it’s just that the computer comes with Windows pre-installed, and I am worried that changing it will cause more issues than it’s worth.

        • someacnt@sh.itjust.worksOP
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          1 month ago

          I seem to have irrational hatred on Windows.

          Besides, there is programming work which is conducted entirely on linux server.

  • jia_tan
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    1 month ago

    My boss lets me remote into a Linux VM hosted on a company server. You could just use a normal VM.

    • thisisnotgoingwell@programming.dev
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      1 month ago

      When people complain about Windows in a work environment, I wonder really what their complaints are. I mean I don’t like windows either but at the end of the day you’re just using visual studio and maybe a terminal emulator to access your work. Your codebase is on a test server or production server.

      That said, my mind was blown when I used my first mac. Even the best windows laptop I’ve been given at work would maybe last 4 hours without charging. I can use my Mac for almost two days without charging it which makes going to the office that much easier when I can sit outside. I don’t know if Windows is just extremely inefficient with its resource management or of it’s all the bullshit spyware companies bloat every PC with but if the company absolutely won’t let you install a Linux desktop OS I’d just ask for a Mac. Plenty of staff use them at universities

      • scrooge101@lemmy.ml
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        1 month ago

        If you are used to your custom tiling window manager, you are less productive on Windows. Additionally, you have an increased anger level due to all the Windows annoyances.

  • Dunstabzugshaubitze@feddit.org
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    1 month ago

    A virtual machine with Linux might be an option or Remote Desktop to a linux machine.

    If its just about virtual desktops:

    Windows 11 has that, i think win+ctrl+d creates a new one and win+ctrl+left arrow/right arrow scrolls through the desktops.

    with that Docker and WSL(because powershell confuses me, and iam to lazy to learn it) i work pretty much the same as i would on a linux machine with a non-tiling window manager.

    • someacnt@sh.itjust.worksOP
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      1 month ago

      Thanks, sadly the setup is windows 10, so I guess no tiling for me :/ EDIT: Seems like there is virtual desktop feature in windows 10!

      • Victoria
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        1 month ago

        i remember powertoys offering tiling for win10

  • Olap@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    WSL2 with VSCode is really common. Windows Terminal is actually good. I use Ubuntu at work, and run Docker community edition and Vim. Firefox in the windows instance. Biggest issue is always the corporate firewall, good luck!

  • Eiri@lemmy.ca
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    1 month ago

    What exactly are you trying to get around? The question is kinda broad.

    If your issue is your program behaving differently or being hard to set up depending on the OS, a common strategy is Docker.

    PS: why is your employer forcing you to use old Windows that’s going to go end-of-life basically tomorrow morning? That’s odd.

  • FizzyOrange@programming.dev
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    1 month ago

    Programming on Windows can be totally fine, if you’re working with a language that cares about Windows support. E.g. in my experience:

    • Good: Rust, Go, C#, Java, Deno, Dart
    • Okish: Python, C++, Node
    • Bad: Perl, OCaml

    If it’s in the “bad” category I would recommend installing WSL and using VSCode’s remote feature that lets you have a Windows copy of VSCode connect to WSL.

  • BetterDev@programming.dev
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    1 month ago

    I’ve cracked this code (at least for me)

    Use Hyper-V to create a workspace VM, using your favorite OS.

    Keep all business related things on the host:

    • email
    • instant mesenger
    • meeting software
    • MDM
    • etc

    Put all dev related thing in VM

    • docker
    • ide/text editor
    • dev tools

    Set up “enhanced sessions” with

    • shared drives
    • clipboard integration
    • automatic monitor resizing

    It isn’t easy, and a lot of the sotware used for deep integration is archived but it still works. But since Hyper-V is integrated with the windows kernel, you can achieve near-metal performance with minimal tweaking.

    Best part? New laptop? Just export the VM onto it, you lose nothing.

    This even works in Windows 11.

    I have played the cat and mouse game of Docker for windows and WSL and been dissapointed time and time again. No more.

    Free yourself. Escape Windows development pain. Carve out a palace of your own design from within the jail provided you, and make it the best dev environment for you.

  • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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    1 month ago

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

    • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
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      1 month ago

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

      • Ephera@lemmy.ml
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        1 month ago

        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.

        • Possibly linux@lemmy.zip
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          1 month ago

          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.

  • qkalligula@my-place.social
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    1 month ago

    @someacnt

    Citrix… I use my Linux setup to remote into my work laptop work for work… It allows me to have my standard Linux workflow while having access to my work stuff and not putting that anywhere locally.

  • namingthingsiseasy@programming.dev
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    1 month ago

    What kind of programming work are you doing?

    I’ve thought about situations like yours and what I would do if I were in that situation someday. For me, the plan is to try doing as much in the console as possible, which means Vim/Neovim for development and Tmux for window management.

  • _____@lemm.ee
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    1 month ago

    WSL, if not then msys2/git bash at bare minimum

    Poweshell 7 is okay if you have access to it but regular day to day shell scripting is like as 10x more verbose with powershell than bash

    I just use WSL at work, extremely fortunate to be able to despite IT locking down everything as much as possible

  • Evotech@lemmy.world
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    1 month ago

    Docker, wsl

    With wsl you can do party much anything

    You can run an x server in wsl and make that your main GUI if you want.