{
  "id": 1745563,
  "title": "Ubuntu on Windows outgrowing native installs? Not according to Canonical's Jon Seager",
  "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/ubuntu-on-windows-outgrowing-native-installs-not-according-to",
  "topic": "tech",
  "section": "Tech",
  "published": "2026-08-18T15:44:00.000Z",
  "source": {
    "name": "ZDNet",
    "slug": "zdnet",
    "url": "https://www.zdnet.com/article/ubuntu-on-windows-outgrowing-native-installs-not-according-to-canonicals-jon-seager/"
  },
  "original_language": "en",
  "account": "Ubuntu on Windows via the Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) is growing faster than native Ubuntu installations, according to Canonical's VP of engineering, Jon Seager. However, this does not mean Ubuntu on WSL will one day outgrow traditional Ubuntu installations on PCs. Seager clarified that his statement did not suggest the absolute number of Ubuntu Desktops would shift, but rather that the growth rate of Ubuntu on WSL is higher than that of native Ubuntu installations. The discussion is centered on the growth of Ubuntu Desktop usage within the WSL environment versus native Ubuntu Desktop installations, not the comparison between Windows-hosted Linux environments and all Linux deployments. While Ubuntu is used across various platforms, Seager's comments are specifically about the desktop. The faster growth of WSL is believed to be driven by enterprise developers, with AI development tools potentially playing a role. WSL allows developers to use Linux tools on Windows while maintaining a Windows desktop environment, making it a popular choice for developers, especially those in organizations with standardized Windows endpoints.",
  "summary": "There's some confusion about Ubuntu's popularity on Windows Subsystem for Linux, so I asked Canonical directly.",
  "key_points": [],
  "editors_take": null,
  "illustration": null,
  "coverage": {
    "outlets": 2,
    "also_reported_by": [
      {
        "outlet": "ZDNet",
        "title": "I asked Canonical if Ubuntu on Windows will outgrow native installs as rumored - it's a no",
        "url": "https://urgent.news/2026/08/18/i-asked-canonical-if-ubuntu-on-windows-will-outgrow-native-installs",
        "published": "2026-08-18T11:38:16.000Z"
      }
    ]
  },
  "ai_generated": true,
  "disclaimer": "Summaries, key points and the editor’s take are written by software from other outlets’ reporting and may contain errors — always check the linked original."
}