Python3-Win9x/README.md

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.