I wonder how long it'll be before they release the source for the earliest Windows versions. The fact that they still have the source for this very old DOS at least gives hope that they also do for old Windows.
It is wonderful how early years of modern computing was brilliant. We treated machines as they really are: machines. Performance, creativity, science..., all possible to make a 386 machine work. Nowadays is all about libraries, virtualization, [bad] code over [bad] code over [bad] code..., I dont like it.
Discussion, on the source, at the time (79 points, 24 days ago, 19 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47957494
Or on the GitHub clone (162 points, 15 comments) https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47946813
in the words of mr. mitch-hedburg “here, you throw this away“
Back when it was all written by hand and optimized well.
I wonder how long it'll be before they release the source for the earliest Windows versions. The fact that they still have the source for this very old DOS at least gives hope that they also do for old Windows.
I am sure that there is a lot good material to take inspiration and learning even from the early Windows 3.11.
Recent and related:
Microsoft open sources DOS 1.00 on 45th anniversary - https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47957494 - April 2026 (19 comments)
It is wonderful how early years of modern computing was brilliant. We treated machines as they really are: machines. Performance, creativity, science..., all possible to make a 386 machine work. Nowadays is all about libraries, virtualization, [bad] code over [bad] code over [bad] code..., I dont like it.