chore: initialize Python Win9x port workspace

2026-08-17 03:41:21 +00:00
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+# Python Win9x
+
+A clean-room effort to build a useful Python 3 runtime for Windows 98 SE and
+other Windows 9x systems, using CPython **v3.11.16** as the language/runtime
+baseline and Microsoft Visual C++ 6.0 as the initial 32-bit toolchain.
+
+## Current state
+
+This is an experimental porting workspace, not a completed Windows 98 build.
+The CPython baseline is kept in `cpython/` at tag `v3.11.16`. The MSVC600
+bundle is kept in `MSVC600/` as a local external prerequisite and is not part of
+the distributable project source.
+
+The first VC6 compiler probe succeeds under Wine. A direct compile of
+`cpython/Programs/python.c` currently fails in CPython headers because VC6
+lacks or does not understand several facilities used by CPython 3.11:
+
+- C99 `inttypes.h` and related integer-format definitions
+- C99 `inline` syntax in C mode
+- newer `__declspec(deprecated)` annotations
+- modern pointer-width/type configuration expected by `pyport.h`
+- the CPython 3.11 Visual Studio/MSBuild project model
+
+These are expected porting blockers and are recorded in `PORT_STATUS.md`.
+
+## Toolchain policy
+
+- Do not commit Microsoft compiler binaries or proprietary runtime files.
+- Keep MSVC600 outside the source distribution or obtain it separately under
+  the user's own license/rights.
+- The project is intended for private Gitea only.
+- Do not copy proprietary Windows implementation code into the compatibility
+  layer.
+
+## Intended milestones
+
+1. Build a minimal CPython core with VC6 using a project-local compatibility
+   header layer.
+2. Replace NT-only Windows APIs with ANSI/Win9x-compatible implementations or
+   explicit feature gates.
+3. Produce a bootable 32-bit Python executable and test it on Windows 98 SE,
+   first with the core interpreter and basic file I/O.
+4. Add sockets and a carefully scoped standard-library subset.
+5. Backport selected newer Python language/library features only after the
+   runtime is stable on Win9x.
+
+## Local prerequisites
+
+- CPython v3.11.16 source in `cpython/`
+- MSVC600 tools in `MSVC600/` (external/local-only)
+- Wine for exercising the Windows compiler from Linux
+- A Windows 98 SE VM or physical test machine for final compatibility checks
+
+No full build is claimed yet.