WSL essentially is to Linux what WINE is to Windows. On all my machines WINE (and virtualbox when I needed true emulation) helped me to ditch native Windows completely years ago.
So why shouldn't I think WSL real purpose is to discourage people from doing native Linux installs? For most people the effect is the same, just reversed.
The problem might arise should they diverge enough that software has to be maintained in multiple versions, so that commercial software companies will have to choose which one to support, and they invariably go for the one with the (biggest) company/corporation attached to it which of course would be Microsoft (just look ad Debian vs Ubuntu).
Should this scenario seem impossible, think what would happen if Microsoft decided to write a library that exposes all important device drivers to the underlying Linux subsystem: gaming companies could write their games without any fear of incompatibilities because they're using the Windows graphics card driver, the same way I use Linux drivers for a sound card Windows ceased to support years ago when I load a Windows audio software under WINE (example: Reaper+Tascam US122). That day Linux native installs would be less and less appealing for commercial (and sadly many amateur) software developers,
which makes me very pessimistic.
Microsoft is already a platinum member of the Linux foundation for reasons that go beyond my level of comprehension; what would prevent them say 5 years from now, from telling the world that their Linux is the real one?
The problem might arise should they diverge enough that software has to be maintained in multiple versions, so that commercial software companies will have to choose which one to support, and they invariably go for the one with the (biggest) company/corporation attached to it which of course would be Microsoft (just look ad Debian vs Ubuntu). Should this scenario seem impossible, think what would happen if Microsoft decided to write a library that exposes all important device drivers to the underlying Linux subsystem: gaming companies could write their games without any fear of incompatibilities because they're using the Windows graphics card driver, the same way I use Linux drivers for a sound card Windows ceased to support years ago when I load a Windows audio software under WINE (example: Reaper+Tascam US122). That day Linux native installs would be less and less appealing for commercial (and sadly many amateur) software developers, which makes me very pessimistic. Microsoft is already a platinum member of the Linux foundation for reasons that go beyond my level of comprehension; what would prevent them say 5 years from now, from telling the world that their Linux is the real one?
edit: minor correction