The Winux experiment: part 4.
So much for success. sigh
After letting the computer sit, just sit, it was time to try Libreoffice and GIMP "for real". As in file handling. As in read/write. As in make a couple of test files. As in look at a couple of existing files. As in fail.
Since Libreoffice would be the program I use most I started with that. "This is a test file." I wrote. Fine. Now save it.
What the hell is that? Or "You call that a 'save' screen?"
Big, white, no details. None. Some sort of weird incompatibility with Wayland or the graphics driver? Why is this screen a big, blank rectangle when everything else looks normal?
Okay, like it says on the cover: "DON'T PANIC!"
Nah, just uninstall and reinstall. Which didn't work. Okay, use the more complicated straight-from-the-company system with 'ppa' et cetera to make sure you get the latest version.
Which doesn't work at all. No start up, just a tiny icon about 'warning' which isn't helpful. More deletes, another reinstall of the first version which at least started, and now it ... also doesn't work at all.
Fine. Be that way. See if I care. This isn't an important project anyway. No one is paying me to sort this out, so there! You can't screw up my plans because they don't matter.
Let's try GIMP instead.
GIMP works. Loads, runs, opens files, modifies them, saves them, no errors. I don't like the way this latest version looks (they've been bloating it with each successive release - the self-destructing software fad), but it works.
So what's wrong with Libreoffice, then?
Reboot. Try again to run the program.
Oh this time it works! Smart ass erratic coding. Save is still a blank rectangle. Try opening an imported odt file. Works. Try saving ... wait, what's that? There's files listed under 'save' now, but no view of the functions. Something odd about that. Shrink down a few open windows. Move them around. Try again.
Yeah exactly how does it make sense that if you slide the working file down on the screen then open 'save' you see the top bit of the rectangle that has the spots to enter file names and directories and such? Obviously the 'save' screen is simply over-sized and doesn't show the important bits at the top unless you fiddle with the whole program and slide it down.
So it is a display compatibility problem and there is a work-around, it's just exceedingly annoying.
Time to leave it alone for a while again, see if it still works later or if the launch has crashed again and maybe work out how to adjust the program/display to make proper use of the screen size.
Considering how stable and adaptable Linux is, I have to suspect there's an incompatibility problem with WSL that they probably don't care about because Microsoft's attitude is that everyone should be using their crappy products and only their crappy products. Thus making any competition look bad is in their best interests.
Well screw them.
P.S.: I also tested some browsers and they won't even install under WSL, never mind function. This is by design of course; MS doesn't want you using anything but wEdge. Er, I mean they want to make sure your Linux experiments don't break containment and hack web sites.