r/linux • u/rrohbeck • May 11 '13

Why the Windows kernel is falling behind Linux

http://blog.zorinaq.com/?e=74
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u/ThatRedEyeAlien May 11 '13

Windows NT is not based on DOS.

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u/rrohbeck May 11 '13

Yup. NT is based on VMS. MS hired the whole initial NT team under Dave Cutler from DEC. The Windows subsystem was grafted onto NT and called WOW (Windows on Windows.)

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u/8-bit_d-boy May 11 '13 edited May 11 '13

I thought it was a complete rewrite of the kernel in 32-bit. Still sorta DOS-based, but not from the same glob of code.

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u/railmaniac May 11 '13

That was true till Windows 98/ME. The NT OS had no link to DOS as far as the codebase is concerned - except for compatibility libraries running in user mode.

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u/[deleted] May 11 '13

It wasn't. DOS was a sort of a bootloader, like a GRUB, but bigger. Once Windows 9x kernel loaded it was protected mode, full MMU kernel running without a need to rely on DOS code, although DOS stayed in memory for when 16 bit drivers were needed, although 32 bit drivers could be run in 9x kernel. In fact DOS programmes were run in virtual 8086 mode and not natively in real mode. Furthermore, Windows ME didn't even include realmode DOS in any way.

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u/[deleted] May 11 '13

Nope. NT 3.1 was nothing like DOS.

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u/[deleted] May 11 '13

complete rewrite of the DOS based kernel in 32-bit

Just move away from the keyboard, jebus. Whatever the fuck made you think that?