> in that you can always download an old version of Linux and run your old software stack. That's not really what's meant by backwards compatibility. Backwards

> in that you can always download an old version of Linux and run your old software stack. That's not really what's meant by backwards compatibility. Backwards compatibility generally means your current OS can run your old software without having to install a raft of older (and likely insecure) versions. Windows accumulates backwards compatibility "hacks" over time meaning you likely have a fairly decent chance of running your older software where vendors misused API's in ways they ought not to have. Of course there are the usual caveats about running 16bit apps on 64 bit Windows where you'll need to find a 16bit emulator. > Windows forces you to use a new version It doesn't. If you were running Windows 7 or 8 on the cusp of the Windows 10 roll out, that 20-25 year old app will still run on the currently supported versions of Windows. The "hacks" for that ancient app you still know and love will still be there. Now there are some far away and yet undiscovered edge cases, as in really exotically and mythically rare that yes their hacks might only appear in a future version of Windows.