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> Microsoft's peculiar inability to switch architectures. More like third party publishers? Windows has been released for many architectures in the past but wi

> Microsoft's peculiar inability to switch architectures. More like third party publishers? Windows has been released for many architectures in the past but without bringing the software ecosystem along it never worked out. They presently seem to be trying to correct that, with an x86 emulator included in their ARM version of Windows 11, but don't have the hardware offerings to create demand.

jameshart 3y ago
Right, Windows NT was shipped on PowerPC, MIPS and Alpha up until 1999; Then MS shipped Windows Server on IA64 Itanium from around that time right up to 2010, alongside the x64 version - including shipping IA64 versions of .NET, SQL Server, etc. And they began shipping Windows on ARM with WindowsRT in 2011. I actually don't think there has been any significant period where Microsoft was only shipping core Windows operating systems on only x86. It's possible that's actually a deliberate strategy. But to your point, what they have never been able to do was persuade any significant part of the ecosystem to notice.
- jwells89 3y ago
  There was also a PowerPC build of Windows XP, which was preloaded on Xbox 360 dev kits (which were ironically PowerMac G5 towers configured to roughly match 360 hardware).
- hulitu 3y ago
  > Right, Windows NT was shipped on PowerPC, MIPS and Alpha up until 1999 Were there any compilers for those architectures from Microsoft ?
  - rsaxvc 3y ago
    Yep, you could get visual studio processor packs in the mail. At least for ppc and mips.
  - maximilianburke 3y ago
    Yes. How else would they build their OS and applications?
- jkestner 3y ago
  It’s a lot easier to make the devs move when you control the hardware too.
GeekyBear 3y ago
> They presently seem to be trying to correct that, with an x86 emulator DEC created an x86 emulator for the DEC Alpha version of Windows NT, but it still didn't get any traction, despite the Alpha being the performance king back in the day. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FX!32 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FX!32
rchiang 3y ago
I feel like this comment needs some extra emphasis, especially when it comes to third-party drivers, perhaps even more than application software.

jameshart 3y ago

Right, Windows NT was shipped on PowerPC, MIPS and Alpha up until 1999; Then MS shipped Windows Server on IA64 Itanium from around that time right up to 2010, alongside the x64 version - including shipping IA64 versions of .NET, SQL Server, etc. And they began shipping Windows on ARM with WindowsRT in 2011. I actually don't think there has been any significant period where Microsoft was only shipping core Windows operating systems on only x86. It's possible that's actually a deliberate strategy. But to your point, what they have never been able to do was persuade any significant part of the ecosystem to notice.

jwells89 3y ago
There was also a PowerPC build of Windows XP, which was preloaded on Xbox 360 dev kits (which were ironically PowerMac G5 towers configured to roughly match 360 hardware).
hulitu 3y ago
> Right, Windows NT was shipped on PowerPC, MIPS and Alpha up until 1999 Were there any compilers for those architectures from Microsoft ?
- rsaxvc 3y ago
  Yep, you could get visual studio processor packs in the mail. At least for ppc and mips.
- maximilianburke 3y ago
  Yes. How else would they build their OS and applications?
jkestner 3y ago
It’s a lot easier to make the devs move when you control the hardware too.

GeekyBear 3y ago

> They presently seem to be trying to correct that, with an x86 emulator DEC created an x86 emulator for the DEC Alpha version of Windows NT, but it still didn't get any traction, despite the Alpha being the performance king back in the day. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FX!32 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/FX!32

rchiang 3y ago

I feel like this comment needs some extra emphasis, especially when it comes to third-party drivers, perhaps even more than application software.