The Dark Secrets of Microsoft's POSIX Subsystem

🔍The POSIX Subsystem was created by Microsoft to bid on contracts for the US federal government, but it had limited functionality and could barely run basic applications.

🛠️To make the POSIX Subsystem work, users needed to install various additional components, including the Windows NT Resource Kit and the Windows NT software development kit.

💥The POSIX Subsystem was not widely used and was largely ignored in favor of other solutions like Cygwin.

🔒POSIX applications were sandboxed and had no direct access to Win32 subsystem functionalities like memory-mapped files, networking, graphics, or dynamic data exchange.

🌟The POSIX Subsystem serves as a cautionary tale and highlights the importance of well-defined standards and interoperability.

What was the purpose of the POSIX Subsystem?

—The POSIX Subsystem was intended to provide compatibility for porting UNIX applications to Windows NT and to fulfill government requirements for POSIX support.

How can I install the POSIX Subsystem?

—To install the POSIX Subsystem, you would need to have the Windows NT Resource Kit, the Windows NT software development kit, and a copy of Visual C++.

Was the POSIX Subsystem widely used?

—No, the POSIX Subsystem was not widely used and was largely ignored in favor of other solutions such as Cygwin.

What limitations did the POSIX Subsystem have?

—The POSIX Subsystem had limited functionality and could not directly access Win32 subsystem features. It also had a minimal set of available commands.

Are there any alternatives to the POSIX Subsystem?

—Yes, one of the alternatives to the POSIX Subsystem is Cygwin, which provides a more comprehensive UNIX-like environment on Windows.

00:06The video explores the dark secrets of Microsoft's POSIX Subsystem.

00:21The POSIX Subsystem was created by Microsoft for government contracts but lacked functionality.

04:46Installing the POSIX Subsystem required additional components like the Windows NT Resource Kit and the software development kit.

09:03Out of the box, the POSIX Subsystem only included a single utility, pax.

12:32The POSIX Subsystem was largely ignored in favor of other solutions like Cygwin.

13:16The POSIX Subsystem serves as a cautionary tale for standards and interoperability.

13:50The video concludes by inviting viewers to like, subscribe, and support the channel.