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Who needs an iPad Pro? Look everyone, Windows Terminal has mouse input

Version numbering reaches double figures with GA lurking around the corner

In a week that saw confirmation that Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 would have its kernel pulled from the base Windows 10 image, another preview of Windows Terminal put in an appearance.

Terminal fans may be forgiven for being a little surprised. After all, February's v0.9 was to have been the last to receive new features ahead of the v1 release. However, v0.10 is here, and the gang has sneaked in a few extra tweaks ahead of general availability.

Raising hopes that perhaps the irritating handling of mouse clicks in the session might be resolved, the team has trumpeted the support of Mouse Input. Alas, this does not mean a handy context menu. Instead, apps that use virtual terminal (input) such as tmux will spot when items have been clicked on the terminal window.

To be fair, it is a useful feature, particularly in Windows Subsystem for Linux (WSL) applications, although this hack tends to stick to keyboard navigation while in text sessions.

Keyboard fans like me got an additional treat in the version 0.10 in the form of a command to open a new pane with the same profile of the pane that is in focus. A keybinding is required, but is a handy thing to have.

The effect on text of a window resize is also hugely improved, with the team admitting "we decided to call it a feature, even though really it was just a hundred bugs wearing a trenchcoat." Among the other tinkerings was one that we thought was the early onset of blindness, but was actually just the implementation of Ctrl+Shift+Wheel to turn acrylic on and off. Azure Cloud Shell is also markedly improved when used in the Windows Terminal.

The final release is due in May, when Windows Terminal will join the array of components that once were part of the core OS image of Windows, but have been freed to forge their own path. The list includes the likes of PowerShell "don't call it Core" Core, Windows Subsystem for Linux 2 and the Chromium-based Edge.

It's almost as though the Windows operating system was being quietly dismantled, leaving just a Core behind. In the meantime, please excuse us: a light theme is calling. ®

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