hPrevInstance meant something in Win16, which Win32 tried to maintain source compatibility with. https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20040615-00/?p=38873

hPrevInstance meant something in Win16, which Win32 tried to maintain source compatibility with. https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20040615-00/?p=38873 https://devblogs.microsoft.com/oldnewthing/20040615-00/?p=38... As you point out, what really matters is the entry point the linker puts into the executable's header, it's all just convention from there.