Windows Apps on Ubuntu

Have access to your necessary Windows programs, like Word, while you are able to use Ubuntu for all of the reasons that you love about it. Using a Windows VM on Ubuntu is a way to get the best of both worlds.

Word on Ubuntu (Video on its way)

CircuitStudio and Visual Studio on Ubuntu (Video on its way)

WinApps uses a Windows virtual machine and remote desktop access to run Windows programs on the Ubuntu desktop. This requires extra RAM to give the VM plenty of resources. There also need to be a reasonable number of CPU cores to share some with the VM. I tried a lot of approaches to be able to do this with Ubuntu and this approach does not work well enough to use the system for professional tasks. Circuit studio is problematic as context menu windows do not persist after the click. Typically Ubuntu makes old computers work again, but I did not know how it would do sharing resources with a Windows VM, on an average new computer. The version of Windows used is debloated and this helps with sharing resources; there may be a few issues with programs that need some of the things that have been left out, but adding them back in is usually possible.

Winapps is not recommended

Microtron recommends using a container for Windows and running all of the desired windows software in the container. Access to Windows is typically via a port in the browser window. Visual Studio, CircuitStudio and MSOffice have been trialed. This is different to Winapps which runs Windows software on the Ubuntu desktop, rather than presenting the Windows desktop in a browser.

Microtron has a flexible approach to your build options. Other things like username and initial preferred password will be needed, along with an MS login to use for installation of MS programs. Options will also include added SSD capacity, amount of extra RAM and of course the model of computer to upgrade to running a virtual machine; $800 refurbished models work well, however modern options have many more CPU cores and do perform really well. The Windows 11 Pro OEM product code will be recorded and used to install the VM; there will be an option for dual boot as well as the VM and as you can only use one of the Win 11 installations at a time, it is permitted to use the same product code. If dual boot is chosen, the question remains as to whether to have an Ubuntu system drive and a Documents drive; a large Documents drive will be an option.

Microtron is working to understand if the use of Tiny11 is feasible and legal for businesses, as discussed above. Advantages of this include the removal of advertising. An alternative may be to install the standard W11 and then attempt to uninstall the bloatware, including advertising.

  • MCU units with sensors and datalogging.
  • Break out boards with user interface. Suitable for datalogging and interactive function including stepper motors.
  • Break out board customizations. Sensors, stepper motors, WiFi, SD cards and Fram.
  • Design of circuit boards, including design of circuit boards that are a customization of a break out board pilot project.
  • WiFi and server collection of data.

What does Windows do that it should not?

  • File explorer often goes on long holidays or it says that it is not responding
  • Often has programs that are not responding
  • After the multiple screens lock and deactivate, when the user logs in again the contents of the screens, in terms of windows that are open, are always jumbled between monitors
  • After the multiple screens lock and deactivate, when the user logs in again the other contents of the screens, such as icons, can occasionally be randomized. The task bar can end up on another monitor and the icons on a different one again, for example
  • Logging in sometimes takes a very long time e.g. five, ten or twenty minutes
  • Takes a long time to start and login even when working normally
  • Programs run slowly considering the power of the computer
  • Windows takes a long time to start and even when it has started it still has a large CPU overhead.

Reliable and well designed computers are vital for the future. Note that many medical and dental computers have the problems that I have mentioned. That is not good enough.

  • MCU units with sensors and datalogging.
  • Break out boards with user interface. Suitable for datalogging and interactive function including stepper motors.
  • Break out board customizations. Sensors, stepper motors, WiFi, SD cards and Fram.
  • Design of circuit boards, including design of circuit boards that are a customization of a break out board pilot project.
  • WiFi and server collection of data.