# Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux

8 Hacker News commenters recommended Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux and 0 criticized it, November 2025 to November 2026. It was recommended in 1 of 13 months.

**Verdict:** People admire this project for running a modern Linux kernel inside Windows 9x, a six-year effort to understand Win9x internals, and for being written without AI.

## Why people recommend it

- Runs modern Linux kernel inside Win9x (2 comments): "One person spends 6 years understanding Win9x internals to run a modern Linux kernel inside it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47865298)) "Modern linux kernel running cooperatively inside the Windows 9x kernel, sick!" ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47861354))
- Deep Win9x internals research (1 comments): "One person spends 6 years understanding Win9x internals to run a modern Linux kernel inside it." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47865298))
- Shows coLinux could have existed earlier (1 comments): "What I especially like about this Windows 9x Subsystem project, is that it proves that coLinux could have been written way earlier." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47875033))
- Written without AI (1 comments): "Proudly written without AI." ([source](https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=47863385))

## Alternatives hackers recommend

- [XWayland](https://hackerapproved.com/p/xwayland.md): 13 recommend
- [WinBoat](https://hackerapproved.com/p/winboat.md): 9 recommend
- [otvdm (winevdm)](https://hackerapproved.com/p/otvdm.md): 6 recommend
- [Wayback](https://hackerapproved.com/p/wayback.md): 6 recommend

## Cite as

Hacker Approved, "Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux", https://hackerapproved.com/p/windows-9x-subsystem-for-linux/ (counts from 1,795,640 Hacker News comments, November 2025 to November 2026).