Microsoft Releases First Build of Windows 10 21H1

It has been a busy week for the Windows Insider program. From renaming the rings to channels, the company is now also releasing the first build of Windows 10 that will be released next year.

This build, version 20150 is rolling out now to the Dev channel (previously known as the Fast Ring). This is the first release from the Iron branch or the spring iteration of Windows 10,

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There isn’t too much new in this release. But WLS users will get some nice updates:

  • GPU Compute – a feature that allows your Linux binaries to leverage your GPU
  • WSL install – allows you to install WSL with just one command
  • WSL–update – the ability to manage the Linux kernel version used by WSL 2 distros

The other update is that if you are a user of Bing Maps, the data is slowly being replaced with TomTom bits.

As with all insider builds, you should not be installing this on a production machine. Even if the major reported issues do not impact your device, running alpha/beta builds on a device that you need to function properly is a risky endeavor.

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Conversation 19 comments

  • Winner

    17 June, 2020 - 2:00 pm

    <p>I'm sure the crack Windows 10 QC team is going to ensure the best release possible.</p>

    • Username

      17 June, 2020 - 5:47 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#547073">In reply to Winner:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Yup, Microsoft has already perfected a proven strategy.</p>

  • dan1986ist

    Premium Member
    17 June, 2020 - 2:09 pm

    <p>Surprised there is not a thing telling people they can switch to the Beta Channel formerly known as Slow Ring, for those who may want to continue testing 20H2. </p>

  • brothernod

    Premium Member
    17 June, 2020 - 2:12 pm

    <p>"<span style="color: rgb(0, 0, 0);">But for WLS users" = "But for WSL users"</span></p>

  • red77star

    17 June, 2020 - 3:24 pm

    <p>This WSL is so pointless. I would really love to see stats showing number of people using it.</p>

    • SWCetacean

      Premium Member
      17 June, 2020 - 4:52 pm

      <blockquote><em><a href="#547157">In reply to red77star:</a></em></blockquote><p>I think it's the best feature added to Windows in years. Anyone who works regularly with Linux will find utility in it. At the very minimum, it's a better SSH client than MobaXTerm or PuTTY. And it's miles better than that mess called CygWin. It's a fluid bridge between the Windows and Linux worlds.</p>

      • Username

        17 June, 2020 - 5:43 pm

        <blockquote><em><a href="#547180">In reply to SWCetacean:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>Why is Cygwin a “mess”? I use it everyday – shell with GNU and userland utilities – without issue.</p>

        • reefer

          17 June, 2020 - 7:17 pm

          <blockquote><em><a href="#547202">In reply to Username:</a></em></blockquote><p>Cygwin has absolutely nothing to do with WSL. </p>

          • wright_is

            Premium Member
            18 June, 2020 - 2:37 am

            <blockquote><em><a href="#547221">In reply to reefer:</a></em></blockquote><p>No, but SWCetacean said he preferred WSL, because Cygwin is a mess.</p><p>I've used Cygwin in the past (but not the last 6-7 years) and it used to be very buggy and unstable. I used to use it to connect to my Linux workstation from Windows, but it would keel over and die regularly.</p><p>Maybe it has improved significantly since then.</p>

            • reefer2

              18 June, 2020 - 6:47 am

              <blockquote><em><a href="#547248">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><p>Ah ok, sorry. Guess i have to read the whole thread before posting next time. ;)</p><p><br></p><p>As for Cygwin, i tested it a long time ago but as you wrote it was pretty buggy and i simply switched to running Linux in a virtual environment instead. </p><p><br></p><p><br></p>

            • oneduality

              20 June, 2020 - 9:24 pm

              <blockquote><em><a href="#547248">In reply to wright_is:</a></em></blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote><em>It's still a mess =) I just dumped it a few months ago, I mean.. it still has a use.. I will cross compile with it if I need to distribute something on windows that I wrote with Linux in mind originally.. but otherwise, I'm happy to be free of it.</em></blockquote><p><br></p>

          • oneduality

            20 June, 2020 - 9:22 pm

            <blockquote><em><a href="#547221">In reply to reefer:</a></em></blockquote><p><br></p><p>I don't think he intended to insinuate that, but Cygwin does at least let you run Linux tools in windows.. it is a mess though, you have to compile or install those tools using the cygwin installer.. it works, but it's not that great.. </p><p><br></p><p>It's nice to have a proper linux kernel and not have to cross compile things .. I love being able to pop open a bash shell and use a standard package manager without having to dual boot or use vmware.. it feels more native ( I know it isn't ).. but it just feels easier to work with as a developer for me to use WSL..</p><p><br></p><p>( I'm a linux systems admin professionally.. and I welcome this ) .. </p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      18 June, 2020 - 2:32 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#547157">In reply to red77star:</a></em></blockquote><p>Me, for a start. I've been using it in processes since day one.</p>

    • oneduality

      20 June, 2020 - 9:19 pm

      <blockquote><a href="#547157"><em>In reply to red77star:</em></a></blockquote><blockquote><em>I use this feature regularly for web development and many other things, it's one of the best features MS has added to windows in years.</em></blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote><em>GPU will be fantastic because I also work in AI, I typically dual boot for that but this will make it so much better, I realize there will be some overhead, but it's still great news.</em></blockquote><blockquote><br></blockquote><blockquote>So respectfully, I disagree.</blockquote><p><br></p>

  • nerdile

    Premium Member
    17 June, 2020 - 10:28 pm

    <p>I don't think it's called the "Developer" channel. It's the Dev channel.</p>

  • pierre_masse

    17 June, 2020 - 11:37 pm

    <p>Why going from Here to TomTom?</p>

    • wright_is

      Premium Member
      18 June, 2020 - 2:31 am

      <blockquote><em><a href="#547239">In reply to pierre_masse:</a></em></blockquote><p>Licensing, probably, or the TomTom data is more current.</p><p>Here was sold to BMW, Daimler-Benz and Audi a few years back. Maybe they had a licensing deal that is coming to an end or the auto manufacturers aren't such good custodians and aren't updating the maps quick enough…</p>

  • Rob_Wade

    18 June, 2020 - 9:21 am

    <p>Seriously? TomTom is actually still a thing? Did MS acquire them or something?</p>

    • Paul Thurrott

      Premium Member
      18 June, 2020 - 10:31 am

      I was more surprised to discover that Bing Maps was still a thing. 🙂

      But not joking.

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