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The Windows kernel isn't backwards compatible, just the API's which use compatibility libraries and the HAL to interface with the newer kernel. APIs and kernels
by microwavecamera 7y ago
The Windows kernel isn't backwards compatible, just the API's which use compatibility libraries and the HAL to interface with the newer kernel. APIs and kernels are 2 different things. Think about the Linux kernel. How to we "talk" to it? Through libraries like glibc which provides an interface for C to make calls to the kernel. Something like WINE wouldn't be necessary. WINE is an open implementation of the Windows API. The WINE project is essentially reverse engineering the Windows API and mapping to the equivalent Linux syscalls. This wouldn't be an issue for MS. All they would have to do is implement a Windows API compatible equivalent of glibc and obviously wouldn't have licensing issues like the WINE project.
- ngrilly 7y ago> Think about the Linux kernel. How to we "talk" to it? Through libraries like glibc which provides an interface for C to make calls to the kernel. No. We "talk" to the kernel through an ABI, not an API. Maintaining ABI compatibility is important because you can move a binary from one kernel version to another without recompiling and relinking your app.