Porting Windows 2.0 to the Apricot PC/Xi: A Retro-Computing Journey
By
todsacerdoti
Crackling crust, pillowy middle. The kind of bagel that earns a second cup of coffee.
Summary
A detailed personal account of retro-computing enthusiast Nina Kalinina's journey to port Windows 2.0 onto an Apricot PC/Xi — a non-IBM-compatible 8086 computer from the 1980s. The article chronicles her three-year quest to find modern-ish word processing and spreadsheet software for the obscure machine, culminating in a custom port of Windows 2.0 to run Word and Excel on the Apricot hardware.
Key quotes
· 4 pulledI bought my first Apricot PC about three years ago, when I realised I wanted an 8086-based computer.
I had no idea that it was not IBM PC-compatible, and that there were very few programs available for it.
I have been on a quest to get a modern-ish word processor and spreadsheet program for it ever since.
Which eventually made me 'port' Windows 2 on it.
You might also wanna read
ZX Spectrum BASIC interpreter rebuilt from scratch to run natively in web browsers
A developer has rebuilt the ZX Spectrum's BASIC interpreter from scratch to run in a web browser, without emulating the original Z80 hardwar
boingboing.net·1d ago
MacSurf brings CSS3, ES5 JavaScript, and native HTTPS to Classic Mac OS 9 PowerPC systems
MacSurf is an early-alpha web browser for Classic Mac OS 9 PowerPC systems (like the G3 iMac) that brings modern web technologies — CSS3, ES
github.com·2d ago
Context Free Tests C64 vs Raspberry Pi 4 in Practical Coding Focus Comparison
This article examines the concept of when computers peaked for focused, distraction-free coding. It compares the Commodore 64 (which boots s
theoasisbbs.com·3d ago
16-Byte x86 Assembly Demo Released at Outline Demoparty 2026
A nostalgic exploration of creating a 16-byte x86 assembly program (a tiny intro) for an old IBM PC with a monochrome green monitor. The aut
Sinalytica: Use Lovable AI App Builder on Windows 98 via Product Hunt
This appears to be a Product Hunt launch page for "Sinalytica," a product that allows users to use Lovable (likely an AI app builder) on Win
Product Hunt·8d ago
Porting a 3D Points Renderer to the ZX Spectrum 48K: A Retro Computing Project
A developer recounts his journey of porting a 3D points-only renderer from modern hardware back to the original ZX Spectrum 48K+ computer he
github.com·14d ago