文章摘要
作者购买了一台非IBM兼容的Apricot PC电脑,为了运行现代文字处理和电子表格软件,历经三年努力成功将Windows 2系统移植到该设备上。文章分享了这一移植过程的故事,并附有实际运行照片。作者还推荐了另一篇关于Windows 2系统的文章。
文章总结
标题:为杏子PC/Xi移植Windows 2系统的探索之旅
作者Nina Kalinina在2025年12月27日撰文,分享了她历时两年半将Windows 2系统移植到Apricot PC/Xi古董计算机的完整历程。这台1983年英国ACT公司生产的非IBM兼容机采用Intel 8086处理器,配备当时领先的3.5英寸软驱和10MB硬盘,拥有独特的800x400单色显示器。
硬件挑战与机遇
- 特殊硬件架构:Apricot PC的显示系统采用伪图形模式(50x25字符网格),与标准Windows图形驱动架构存在根本性冲突
- 软件生态匮乏:原生软件库不足300MB,仅有一款2025年开发的图形游戏
- 技术遗产:2012年重新发现的Windows 1驱动成为关键突破口
移植技术突破
驱动重构:
- 开发桩驱动(stub drivers)验证系统可行性
- 逆向Windows 1视频驱动并适配Windows 2内核
- 自制NE文件格式工具NExus-relink完成驱动重组
显示系统攻坚:
- 创造性复用Windows 1字体资源
- 重写SYSTEM.DRV解决光标闪烁问题
- 通过像素抖动实现灰度显示效果
性能优化:
- 896KB内存运行完整图形界面
- 硬盘空间占用控制在2MB以内
软件生态建设
核心生产力套件:
- Microsoft Word for Windows(支持RTF格式)
- Excel 1988版(含44种图表类型)
- Adobe Illustrator
界面增强:
- WANG ClearView窗口管理器
- 支持可编程键盘快捷键
娱乐扩展:
- 新增纸牌、台北麻将等经典游戏
- PC Paintbrush绘图软件
项目意义
此次移植不仅让1980年代的古董硬件重获新生,更揭示了早期Windows系统的模块化设计优势。作者特别指出,Excel 1988版的超高效能(仅需几百KB内存)对比现代Web应用形成鲜明反差。
完整技术细节已开源在sr.ht代码平台,为复古计算爱好者提供了宝贵的研究样本。该项目也展现了技术考古与软件工程结合的独特魅力。
评论总结
以下是评论内容的总结:
- 对早期非IBM兼容计算机的怀旧与评价
Tandy 2000因其高性能和低价位曾是IBM的有力竞争者,甚至被微软用于Windows开发 "it was a real contender before it was clear that the IBM standard would be used by everybody" "Microsoft used the Tandy 2000 internally for Windows development"
ACT Apricot等品牌在创新设计上领先,如便携式设计和独特输入设备 "They were 'portable' in the sense they had a handle very firmly attached" "the keyboard...had a little strip of hotkeys with an LCD screen above"
- 对Windows 2时代计算机市场的描述
当时存在多种GUI系统和计算机平台竞争 "There were multiple competing GUI shells (GEM was popular and considered better than Windows)" "Other non-PC, non-Mac computers were legitimate choices"
厂商尝试差异化设计但最终转向兼容机 "manufacturers could see where things were heading, but were still trying different things" "Then everyone started to do 100% compatible clones, and it was a race to the bottom"
- 个人使用经历
在非主流硬件上运行Windows 2的体验 "I used some (pirated) software that included a bundled Windows 2 runtime" "I used Windows 2 on a RM Nimbus 80186 at school around 1984"
对Apricot计算机的回忆 "I never saw an Apricot running Windows prior to the PC-compatible models" "Apricot had Display-in-keyboard and compact form factors"
- 对Nina项目的评价
- 简短赞扬 "Nina is a ledge, you should follow on mastodon"
- 对早期计算机市场的观察
- 微软当时并非主导 "Microsoft wasn't the dominant player and was sort of the underdog"
- 办公软件套件概念尚未形成 "The idea of the office suite hadn't taken off"
注:所有评论均无评分显示。最后一条关于"pork belly futures"的评论似乎与主题无关,可能是误贴。