Just because you can do something, doesn’t mean you should. Like stuffing Windows 95 inside a virtualised JavaScript wrapper so anyone can download it and run it like a regular desktop app. Why would you engage in such insanity? Your guess is as good as mine.
By making use of a project called “v86” (an x86 virtual machine running on JavaScript, specifically Node.js) and Electron (a native app framework based on Chromium) developer Felix Rieseberg was able to package an install of Windows 95 into a self-contained program that anyone can run.
In this case, “anyone” includes Windows, macOS and Linux users, though I imagine those running the latter two platforms aren’t carrying quite as much nostalgia for Microsoft’s ancient OS.
Just to be clear, this isn’t a gimmick, like a website with limited functionality dressed up to look like Windows 95. It’s the real deal.
In fact, you can play Doom inside the virtualised instance, though don’t expect it to run well.
If you’d like to have a play around, downloads for all three major operating systems can be found on the project’s GitHub.
[referenced url=”https://gizmodo.com.au/2018/06/finally-all-of-microsofts-mobile-failures-have-been-redeemed-with-this-windows-95-phone/” thumb=”https://i.kinja-img.com/gawker-media/image/upload/c_lfill,w_768/lfifblyxazsiyi3uhieb.jpg” title=”Finally, All Of Microsoft’s Mobile Failures Have Been Redeemed With This Windows 95 Phone” excerpt=”By today’s standards it was ugly, it was slow, and it was primitive, but Windows 95 was the first operating system I mastered inside and out, and I’ll always have a soft spot for Microsoft’s most memorable PC OS. That can be the only explanation for why part of me would also love suffering through a mobile version of Windows 95 on a smartphone.”]