Loss32: Let's Build a Win32/Linux

Original Article ↗ Hacker News Discussion ↗

Project concept & intent

  • Proposed distro: Linux kernel underneath, but the entire desktop environment is Win32 apps running under Wine.
  • Goal is to recreate the late‑90s–early‑2010s Windows desktop (Win2k/XP/7 era) for power users while keeping Linux control and freedoms.
  • Some commenters say they’d “unironically use this,” especially for a light, practical Win2000‑style desktop.

Feasibility vs existing efforts (Wine, Proton, ReactOS)

  • Skeptics argue that true Win32 compatibility requires reproducing Windows behaviorally, including bugs and mitigation quirks; Wine’s 30‑year history and remaining incompatibilities are cited as evidence this is very hard.
  • Others reply that Wine/Proton already show very high practical compatibility, especially for games, and in some cases run old Windows software better than modern Windows.
  • Some see this as “embrace, extend” against Microsoft; others say if you need perfect Win32, you might as well run Windows.

Motivations: control & dissatisfaction with modern Windows

  • Strong desire for a Windows‑like workflow without Microsoft’s telemetry, ads, and UI regressions.
  • Multiple comments praise NT as a good kernel but condemn Win32 and modern shell/UX decisions.
  • Enterprise editions and LTSC are mentioned as less “enshittified,” but many report Windows 10/11 as slow, fragile, and bloated.

Linux ABI, packaging, and ecosystem problems

  • Long subthread: Win32 framed as the only de‑facto stable desktop ABI across both Windows and Linux.
  • Complaints: glibc symbol versioning, frequent breaks in GUI stacks (GTK 2→3→4, Qt 4→5→6, X11→Wayland), and distro fragmentation make distributing Linux desktop binaries painful.
  • Some argue this “shifting sand” is the core reason Linux never wins the desktop, more than gaming or installer difficulty.
  • Containers, Flatpak, AppImage, Snap are seen as band‑aids that ship mini‑distros with each app.

Gaming & apps

  • Gamers are a key target: Proton makes most Windows titles playable, but this also removes incentive for native Linux ports.
  • Examples given of older DirectX games that are easier to run on Linux+Proton than on Windows 10/11.

UI, toolkits, and nostalgia

  • Strong nostalgia for Win2k/XP/7 UI; several wish for a polished pixel‑perfect clone as a Linux DE.
  • Debate over building GUIs with VB6/Delphi‑style native widgets vs modern web/Electron stacks; many view web UIs as heavier and less ergonomic.

Prospects

  • Enthusiasts love the spirit and would try a live image.
  • Skeptics think it will remain a niche experiment: keeping Wine, drivers, audio, and modern GPUs working across fast‑moving Linux kernels is seen as a long, uphill fight.