Binary and Source Compatibility Under Windows NT

• Microsoft Win32 Software Development Kit (SDK) for Windows NT versions 3.1 and 3.5

SUMMARY

There are currently three hardware platforms for which Win32-based applications can be written; they are Intel (x86), MIPS, and DEC Alpha. Binary compatibility across these hardware platforms is not a viable alternative. Therefore, Windows NT offers source compatibility. This means that developers may create versions of their Win32 applications for each CPU by recompiling.

For example, suppose that you have written a Win32-based application in C and have used a 32-bit compiler that targets the Intel platform. In order to produce a Win32-based application that runs on DEC Alpha, you would purchase a 32-bit compiler that targets Alpha and recompile your code.

MORE INFORMATION

It is important not to confuse source compatibility across hardware platforms with binary compatibility across application execution environments. Windows NT and Win32s do support binary compatibility between different application execution environments. For example, the typical 16-bit Windows-based application can be run without modification on any Windows NT machine. On the MIPS and Alpha platforms, this is achieved through emulation. In addition, it is possible to design an x86 Win32-based application so that it runs on Windows 3.1. This is achieved through Win32s.