Ubuntu Linux and Windows Can Share The Desktop In Absence Of Virtual Machines
 

We have tested the CoLinux technology embedded in andLinux Windows installer for the latest Ubuntu KDE version. The performances are outstanding regarding the coexistence of the Ubuntu Linux and Windows into a "merged" kernel.
This is the link for the full article. We have also promoted this idea to digg.

Curious:

How exactly does this differ from Cygwin other than being an Ubuntu based distro?

It makes me think of WUBI instead.

Wubi and Cygwin
 

Dear friends, Wubi is a Windows installer that allows you to install Ubuntu latest version on the same partition with your Windows operating system like any other Windows application. On the boot menu you can select Windows or Ubuntu. The advantage is that Linux does not require an independent partition. andLinux and CoLinux share the same technology, practically is a sort of virtual machine but with a kernel merged with Windows. The performances are notable as compared with Linux in a virtual machine. Cygwin only allows the running of Linux based applications on Windows. The above post refers at Ubuntu KDE installation on the same GUI with Windows. The Ubuntu desktop and functionality is available alongside Windows when the Windows operating system performs the booting process.
More details, are available by following the links above.

The links don't have enough information to explain it adequately or I wouldn't have asked.

One could install the andLinux but that reminds me of the old Alka-Seltzer commercial:

"Try it you'll like it."

The punch line is the person told to try it says:

"I thought I was going to die."

Not saying andLinux isn't worthwhile because I haven't tried it - I was just trying to get an understanding of what value it has over using something like Cygwin. If I understand your response it is mainly that it allows you to run a Linux windows manager on your M$ Windows desktop.

andLinux and Cygwin
 

Dear friend, the main difference between Cygwin and andLinux is the next one: Cygwin is an emulator that requires you to build applications from source in order to run them on Windows, while andLinux provides you a possibility to run Linux platform inside Windows natively. The Ubuntu distribution will allow you to run applications contained in the latest KDE version, so is a completly working Linux platform. Cygwin is only a Linux environment emulation layer.