Installing Bash on Windows 10

The Windows Linux Subsystem (WSL) is now available for beta on Windows 10.  Installing it was fairly simple, and included two obligatory reboots.

Start in the Settings app, and open the "For developers settings":

Click the "Developer mode" radio button, and answer "Yes":

After a bit, a prompt will tell you its time to reboot:

After the reboot is finished, use "Programs and Features" to enable WSL:

After a bit, a prompt will tell you its time to reboot (again):

After the reboot is finished, use the start menu to launch "Bash on Ubuntu on Windows" (you will be prompted to accept a license agreement and provide a username/password to create a Linux-based user account):

After a bit more grinding, the installation is complete.  Your first order of business will be to right-click | Properties for Bash and change the font to something other than the dreadful default (in my case, back to Lucida Console).

Finally, spend a few minutes to upgrade via the usual Linux commands issued in your newly installed bash console:

• sudo apt-get update
• sudo apt-get upgrade

Windows finally has a "real" Linux console.  Here's to hoping it makes it out of beta and gets proper care and feeding going forward...

Cutting 2020 Aluminum Extrusion

Aluminum extrusion can used for building cages/frames for electroincs projects.  There are any number of ways to cut it (aluminum is a very soft metal), but for my money, a jigsaw with a metal cutting blade is the easiest.  The blades are inexpensive, easier to change out then a blade on a table or miter saw, and work just as well.  The material I use is:

• 20mm T-Slot Aluminum Extrusion
• 24 TPI Jig Saw Blade

Keeping square cuts can be a challenge, but jigs can be used to make the job easier.

Once the material is cut to length, it can be assembled with corner connectors or brackets.  The center of 2020 aluminum extrusion can be tapped to accept a 6mm screw using the materials below:

• 6MM-1.00 High Carbon Steel Metric Plug Tap
• #9 drill bit (0.196)
• M6 x 25mm Phillips Flat Head Machine Screws

Cutting 12 sections of aluminum extrusion will allow you to assemble a cube suitable for a 3D Printer...