Request to remove this unofficial Arch Linux WSL image from the Microsoft Store

[Antiz96]

Hi 👋

My name's Robin, and I’m one of the Arch Linux maintainers.

I’m reaching out to kindly request the removal of this unofficial Arch Linux WSL image from the Microsoft Store.

We have concerns regarding the Microsoft Store’s policies and Terms of Service, particularly around the use of our trademark (including the Arch Linux name and logo). Because of this, we strongly prefer that no content affiliated with Arch Linux, whether official or unofficial, is distributed there for now. We have already taken down a similar unofficial image from the Microsoft Store in the past for the same reason.

We're currently working on creating an official Arch Linux WSL image for which we are already in contact with Microsoft to have it referenced directly in their distributions manifest. While we do not intend to publish this image on the Microsoft Store (due to the concerns mentioned above), we'd like to avoid any confusion caused by having another Arch Linux WSL image listed there, despite being tagged as "unofficial".

As a side note, I also noticed that you're maintaining an unofficial Fedora WSL image published on the Microsoft Store. For what it's worth, Fedora is also looking at proposing an official Fedora WSL image and have expressed similar concerns regarding the Microsoft Store. I can’t speak on Fedora’s behalf, and I’m not sure where they stand on your specific image, this is simply a friendly heads-up 🙂

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PS: The pacman.conf file distributed with your image is severely outdated and misses a lot of new options and changes. This could lead to some serious breakages fairly soon.

For example, it still references the old and deprecated [community] repository (which will be deleted very soon), the deprecated [testing] repository (which has been split into multiple repositories about 2 years ago), and is also missing pacman's sandbox/unprivileged download security features introduced in v7.0.0.
You should probably look at updating it 😉

[Antiz96]

Hi 👋

My name's Robin, and I’m one of the Arch Linux maintainers.

I’m reaching out to kindly request the removal of this unofficial Arch Linux WSL image from the Microsoft Store.

Hello @vineelsai26,

As it's been nearly 2 weeks, allow me to friendly ping you again about this.
As we are about to release our official WSL image soon (and for the concerns mentioned above regarding our trademark), we would appreciate if this could be dealt with promptly 🤗
Otherwise we will be forced to fill a formal removal request to Microsoft, which we would ideally avoid.

PS: The pacman.conf file distributed with your image is severely outdated and misses a lot of new options and changes. This could lead to some serious breakages fairly soon.

Just for info, due to the above, pacman is now "broken" by default with this image (as reported in #54).

[vineelsai26]

Oh, didn't see your initial issue that has been created, unpublishing the apps for now, planning to republish them under different names and logos later, that works right?

[Antiz96]

Oh, didn't see your initial issue that has been created, unpublishing the apps for now

Thanks for your answer and actions!

planning to republish them under different names later, that works right?

If the name and logo do not relate to Arch Linux, that is fine :)

[megapro17]

We have concerns regarding the Microsoft Store’s policies and Terms of Service, particularly around the use of our trademark (including the Arch Linux name and logo). Because of this, we strongly prefer that no content affiliated with Arch Linux, whether official or unofficial, is distributed there for now. We have already taken down a similar unofficial image from the Microsoft Store in the past for the same reason.

What exactly did upset you? Why other distros like Ubuntu, Debian are sitting here just fine?

[MikeVensel]

As someone who both needs to use Windows and wants to use Arch in WSL it would be nice if we could have a distro in the store whether official or not. It's getting real old to go and use one of them only for it to be removed from the store and replaced with another. Just let it be in the store please...

[christian-heusel]

@MikeVensel it's as easy as running the following, no need for anything on the M$ store..

$ wsl --install archlinux

https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install_Arch_Linux_on_WSL

[Antiz96]

@MikeVensel The official Arch Linux WSL image is available from the official Microsoft WSL catalog of supported distro and can be installed by simply running wsl --install archlinux in a powershell prompt.

This unofficial Arch Linux image is still available on the Microsoft Store under the name "Winch WSL".

[MikeVensel]

Oh I see. Does it just not show up in the store or something?

I'm totally fine with just the one liner to get it up and running. I just didn't even know it was there. Searching the store just brings back this version.

[Antiz96]

The official Arch Linux will indeed not be available in the store (due to some concern regarding our trademark), at least for the moment.

Although, the one liner to get it up and running hopefully is a fair trade :)

As @christian-heusel said, you can read https://wiki.archlinux.org/title/Install_Arch_Linux_on_WSL for more details 🤗

[MikeVensel]

@Antiz96 oh yeah for sure. I'll just add it to my script for setting up Windows. Thanks for alerting me that the official one is available!