WinApps doesn't use a Docker backend btw, you can use any Windows machine running anywhere - cloud, physical, container etc. All you need is the IP address of the box once it's set up.
This looks great though. +1 choosing Qt instead of Electron. -1 for Python though. Otherwise, your approach ticks most of my boxes.
One feature I'd like to see though is reverse file associations - basically associate Linux filetypes inside the Windows VM so that any file you open in a Windows app would open the file in Linux, assuming Linux has a file association for it. Say I've installed Directory Opus in the VM and I want to use it as my primary file manager in Linux, and say I double-click on a .xml file, I would like to open it in the Linux app associated with that filetype (which would be Kate in my case).
Right, I had WinApps pinned to dockur in that comparison and missed the IP-based flexibility part. That's an actual difference, will fix the README.
On Python: fair pushback. Picked it for stdlib coverage (zero runtime deps on 3.11+, one tomli fallback for 3.9/3.10) and iteration speed. Heavy lifting is in the container and FreeRDP so perf hasn't been the bottleneck, but yeah the language choice is a tradeoff.
Reverse file association is interesting, hadn't thought about that direction. The v0.3.0 agent could probably handle it but I'd want to look at the security model first. Marking it TBD. If you open an issue with the use case that'd help me scope it.
I'm fine with the language, I just don't like its dependency ecosystem. I don't mind using it for quick-and-dirty single-file scripts, but once a python project reaches a certain level of complexity, you start relying on external libraries and before you know it, you now have to maintain this messy behemoth of a project with a gazillion dependencies, breakages and potential vulnerabilities up the chain... just thinking about it gives me a headache.
yeah.. I also agreed with that. so I'll optimize the code continuously and lower the dependency on python. but for now I'll keep it because of some benefits.
Might be harsh to say but not bothering to fix the spacing in the ai generated ascii diagram tells me how much i should be taking this project seriously.
Yes, looking at their profile it does look that way for all their contributions on HN. Ctrl+F "real" and Ctrl+F "genuine" as one quick indicator--AI absolutely loves these adjectives and their forms right now.
WinApps doesn't use a Docker backend btw, you can use any Windows machine running anywhere - cloud, physical, container etc. All you need is the IP address of the box once it's set up.
This looks great though. +1 choosing Qt instead of Electron. -1 for Python though. Otherwise, your approach ticks most of my boxes.
One feature I'd like to see though is reverse file associations - basically associate Linux filetypes inside the Windows VM so that any file you open in a Windows app would open the file in Linux, assuming Linux has a file association for it. Say I've installed Directory Opus in the VM and I want to use it as my primary file manager in Linux, and say I double-click on a .xml file, I would like to open it in the Linux app associated with that filetype (which would be Kate in my case).
Right, I had WinApps pinned to dockur in that comparison and missed the IP-based flexibility part. That's an actual difference, will fix the README.
On Python: fair pushback. Picked it for stdlib coverage (zero runtime deps on 3.11+, one tomli fallback for 3.9/3.10) and iteration speed. Heavy lifting is in the container and FreeRDP so perf hasn't been the bottleneck, but yeah the language choice is a tradeoff.
Reverse file association is interesting, hadn't thought about that direction. The v0.3.0 agent could probably handle it but I'd want to look at the security model first. Marking it TBD. If you open an issue with the use case that'd help me scope it.
What's wrong with python for this use case?
I'm fine with the language, I just don't like its dependency ecosystem. I don't mind using it for quick-and-dirty single-file scripts, but once a python project reaches a certain level of complexity, you start relying on external libraries and before you know it, you now have to maintain this messy behemoth of a project with a gazillion dependencies, breakages and potential vulnerabilities up the chain... just thinking about it gives me a headache.
yeah.. I also agreed with that. so I'll optimize the code continuously and lower the dependency on python. but for now I'll keep it because of some benefits.
Demo? Video? That's the first thing I want to see.
Fair point. Working on it now — will push a screenshot and short clip soon.
So, Linux subsystem for Windows?
Since this is a UI forwarder to a Windows machine, I don't think so?
Well, WSL GUI apps are just a forwarder to a Linux VM in the Hyper-V hypervisor.
Might be harsh to say but not bothering to fix the spacing in the ai generated ascii diagram tells me how much i should be taking this project seriously.
Let's hope nobody teaches "AI" how to use aalib to generate cool looking renderings of things.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/AAlib
That's my mistake. I just focused on the functionally working, so I missed that point.
Every reply by OP sounds like AI.
Yes, looking at their profile it does look that way for all their contributions on HN. Ctrl+F "real" and Ctrl+F "genuine" as one quick indicator--AI absolutely loves these adjectives and their forms right now.
The Korean intent is mine, but I run it through an LLM to phrase in English. That's where the pattern comes from. Will skip the LLM step from here.
It's against the guidelines to do this. The community much prefers you write in your own voice, even if your English is imperfect.
https://news.ycombinator.com/newsguidelines.html
God it, i ll follow the guidelines, Thanks for the pointer. Apologies..
And "fair"
Terse sentences? This is how I naturally write and think out loud and I assure you I'm not an LLM
Fair hit, though I'd like to push back slightly
On Mac, you can select a text you write, right click > Writing tools, which uses AI to rewrite and proofread.
Fair, English isn't my first language and I've been leaning on tooling. I'll dial it back.
English-as-a-second language is very much welcome here--your grammar/spelling do not need to be perfect. Just try your best.
Thanks for your opinion, i ll try my best!