Run apps req. Win2k/XP under win98

Actually I used vmware a few years back before I switched to using win4lin/win98. I do not want to go through the headache of reinstalling yet again another windoze and apps again. I use Linux so as to avoid all the reinstalling every year or so. What "core XP processes" do these new versions of apps need for their core functionality that they cannot get in win98. Older versions of the same software apps function fine in win98. It seems to me that the newer apps have been compiled with XP libraries/dll's requirements and could as easily have been made to work with win98 libraries/dlls. And as for serious development work, my command line compiler runs fine under win4lin/win98. It is just that when I want to use a newer version of an app for some extra features, it wants XP/2K and refuses to install under win98. Case in point is the MS VisualC++ Toolkit 2003. It is just a non-gui command line compiler, but it wants 2K/XP. I can understand that M$ wants us to all upgrade to their latest version of windoze. But why other software companies like compuware have this same requirement. Do they really need these extra "core XP processes" that are unavailable under win98, or like M$ they make their latest software dependent on the lates windoze for a reason .i.e to persuade us to upgrade more often and keep their pockets full ?!!

[Light_Shadow]

Well, basically it's about microsoft trying to sell us xp and vendors too lazy to made applications compatible. May be 90% of non critical appz could be made in such way that it runs in win9x. One of the common problems is that vendors use graphical APIs specific to xp like themes support, fast user switching, etc. Another problem is that MS requires support for f.u.switching, themes, and that crap in order to certify your app as winxp compatible. It seems to me that most vendors don't feel confortable with maintaning portions of code specific to 9x and xp.

There is some functionallity that is specific to the nt kernel that 2000/xp uses. Probably you will have the same problem if the app that you wish to use needs nt4. Don't forget that xp is based in the nt kernel and not in the old 9x. For example, it implements ACLs, better memory and proccess management (and protection?), the NTFS filesystem, real support for services, etc.

By the way. What is compuware? Give a link to the product page.

:EDIT: Ohhh Numega! I really didn't know, looong time since i visited the home page of numega Why companies do such things? As Borland-Inprise-Again Borland

[JMI]

Whoa, Seems your name recognition is failing you. Here's a BIG hint. Compuware used to be named NuMega. If that is not a BIG ENOUGH hint, try SICE.

Regards,

the win9x and winnt platform are totally different.
microsoft is just trying hard not to expose the differences
between these 2 platforms.

for normal programs, a programmer may not need to target
a specific platform in order for his application to work on both
of them.

for system programs (dont know a better term for programs
that makes use of low-level kernel stuff/architecture) like
firewalls, system viewers, device drivers, etc... supporting both
these platforms would require having to create and maintain
almost 2 sources (1 for nt, 1 for 9x), much like maintaining
a system application for windows and linux.

and since majority of the users now use either win2k or winxp,
the nt platform is the preferred platform to support.

for your workaround (copying dependencies from one system
to the other)... you're lucky if you got something to work, and
maybe you can make it work for normal applications. but for
platform-specific functionalities, you may have to think twice
on this approach so that you don't waste too much time on
a lost cause.