Nina KalininaOct 17
The weekend is close, I don't feel like I have energy to work on my little(?) game, so I'm going to try and do the weirdest Windows 3.1 setup out there.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 17

First step of getting cool Win 3.1 install these days is VBESVGA driver. Kudos to https://github.com/PluMGMK/vbesvga.drv

I think 16M colours looks pretty great, but it is noticeably slower than 256 colours.

Show threadNina KalininaOct 17
If you follow me, you probably know that there's an open-source clone of Windows NewShell for 3.1 called Calmira. There's a version called Calmira XP, which looks really out of the place on 3.1. But my goal is to get the most unhinged, sick, abominable, overpowered and power-hungry Windows 3.1 install, so here we go.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 17

A bit of a technicality, but it makes a lot of sense in terms of UX: doslfn to add Long File Name support in Calmira, and IFA to add Long File Name support to the basic Windows applications.

And while we're at it, let's get some sort of a wallpaper. This one is 256 colours, because Paintbrush 3.x and Paint 95+ aren't really compatible, and the only way I can convert images to this old system (for now) is ImageMagick gif 256 colours -> pcx -> bmp

Show threadNina Kalinina

Shocking Windows 3.1 development continues. Now I have win32s, which will allow me to run some Win32 applications on top of DOS and Win16 kernel. Freecell looks like any other app, but it is Win32 app, very MVP.

And IE 5.0 is being installed but still needs a bit of tweaking. It has a 128-bit encryption module, but it's useless, because no one supports SSL anymore.

Note WinRAR behind the IE50 installer.

Oct 17 at 9:55pmWeb
Show threadNina KalininaOct 17

It's taking longer than it should have, but I have working TCP/IP on Windows 3.1, and it plays along with IE 5.0. Google stopped supporting IE5 recently, but I learned about Wiby not that long ago, and I like it.

But we're far from being done.

Show threadNina KalininaOct 17
Okay, this is the most cursed Windows 3.1 screenshot so far. I'm not saying things are working, but I'm not saying they're not working either. Sort of a limbo.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
Sometimes it feels like Microsoft intentionally made Win32s incompatible with lots of apps (or the other way around). Only Calc and Real Audio player from Windows 95 are working with Win32s - even Freecell doesn't. Despite it being almost the same thing as Freecell shipped with Win32s itself.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
Woah, a CD-based game for Windows 3.1! Released in 1997, "Pilot Bros" comes with win32s on the CD, and has music, video and audio that all work under Windows 3.1. From what I can tell, it is highly inspired by Gobliiins
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18

Day 2 of abnormal Windows 3.1 functions. Internet Explorer 5 decided to stop working after I tweaked some thing, so it's Netscape Navigator time. It looks so sleek...

(What you're seeing here is Windows 3.1 with Calmira XP shell that adds taskbar and desktop, and a VBESVGA driver)

Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
There is an X11 server for Windows 3.1, but it only supports telnet or rsh. I think some of my X11 apps would have been working, if only my network was working correctly.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
While I'm thinking about other unhinged things to do with this half-broken unusual Windows 3.1 install, here's some QuickTime for you.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
As mentioned before, Windows 3.1 has very limited compatibility with 32-bit applications, including Paint from Windows 95. However, it can run Paint from Chicago just fine. It cannot run Chicago's Notepad, but Paint sort of works. Neat.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18

Okay, this totally should count as an abomination. I associate Space Cadet Pinball with Windows XP, because it was not shipped with Windows 95/98 by default.

But this Space Cadet is actually a win32s application from 1995, and works just fine on Windows 3.1. It looks especially "normal" because of Calmira XP adding Windows XP decorations to Win 3.1. The only tell is window title bars. Woah.

Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
Okay, I figured out what to do with the network, and I have semi-working X11 on my abomination of Windows 3.1. It is so unstable I had to reboot at least 20 times to take these two screenshots.
Show threadthe esoteric programmerOct 18
@nina_kali_nina wait just a second...x11, on windows, whaaaaat?
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@esoteric_programmer there is also X11 server for DOS. It only supports old versions of X11, so it's suitable for period-correct access to SunOS and such.
Show threadthe esoteric programmerOct 18
@nina_kali_nina I wonder if it works with freedos as well
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@esoteric_programmer I suspect it does, but it's X11R5
Show threadltningOct 18
@nina_kali_nina @esoteric_programmer Pointers? It's not DV/X, right? Even OS/2 has an X server - PMX - which I'm using daily^Wweekly :D
Show threadNina KalininaOct 19
@ltning @esoteric_programmer there was Desqview/X, yes, but there was also Xappeal - a commercial fork of XFree86 with no sources
Show threadit's Kanbaru again 🌟Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina this is a delightful thread so far
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@hikari ^_^ thanks!
Show threadEli the BeardedOct 18
@nina_kali_nina
Such dedication
Show threadHans Meier 1312Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina Next make it run a VM, running Solaris running Internet Explorer ^^
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_AoyQeUzbEU
THINGS THAT SHOULDN'T EXIST: Internet Explorer for UNIX

YouTube
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@lunte161 I have a real Solaris machine, so might try it...
Show threadRonflaixOct 18
@nina_kali_nina would 3D Movie Maker even work on that setup of yours? I'm intrigued by the heck of a monster you created there.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18

@Ronflaix it very well might, released in 1995, so there are chances it wasn't using DirectX just yet!

Edit: yes, it's WinG, should totally work on Windows 3.1

Show threadRonflaixOct 18

@nina_kali_nina while it's now open source thanks to @foone and al. (https://github.com/microsoft/Microsoft-3D-Movie-Maker) I don't know if that version of the repo would be helpful to compile a Win16 version.

Though, in my laptop there's still the CD for the French version I kept forgetting I'd eventually dump for Foone. Would that even be helpful in any case for testing?

Edit: should be in the tray. I have to check later

GitHub - microsoft/Microsoft-3D-Movie-Maker: This is the source code for the original Microsoft 3D Movie Maker released in 1995. This is not supported software.

This is the source code for the original Microsoft 3D Movie Maker released in 1995. This is not supported software. - microsoft/Microsoft-3D-Movie-Maker

GitHub
Show threadOzzelot Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina
I presently associate Space Cadet Pinball with anything that has a CPU
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@ozzelot these days, yeah...
Show threadOzzelot Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina
I would believe someone made a purely 16-bit port because why not :D
Show threadArcadiagt5Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina Cool. Nice Saber-chan desktop BTW. :)
Show threadEloshaOct 18
@nina_kali_nina Nice! Should also try the 32bit Apps from NT 3.x and 4x 😊
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@elosha NT 3 NewShell was a flop, and NT 4 is two years newer than Chicago, so I don't have much hopes about it...
Show threadJen - mangledPixelOct 18
@nina_kali_nina Images you can hear.
Show threadPulkoMandyOct 18

@nina_kali_nina a game of Operation: Inner Space?

https://sdispace.com/index.html

That was still supporting Windows 3.1 in the year 2022

Software Dynamic, home of Inner Space, Magic and After Dark

Software Dynamics, the home of the best software design.

Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@pulkomandy here we go! it works as promised, and has cute sound effects
Show threadngoomieOct 18
@nina_kali_nina a lot of the screenshots in here would make bitchin' https://deskto.ps/ uploads
deskto.ps

Annotated desktop screenshots

Show threadAnatoly Shashkin💾Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina Wait. You haven't seen this before?
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@dosnostalgic Correct. I was told that it wouldn't work on our 486 with EGA. I bet the game would complain about the video mode...
Show threadAnatoly Shashkin💾Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina Yeah, there could have been a few issues. 🤔
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@dosnostalgic the game starts, but the interface doesn't fit on the screen. Typical EGA :<
Show threadcrzwdjk ✅ Oct 18
@nina_kali_nina Huh, I didn't know 1С made games too, I had only known about their, uh, other business.
Show threadanna, a criticality incident at the gender acceleratorOct 18
@nina_kali_nina i remember back in ye day 32s was pretty hit or miss, with emphasis on miss
Show threadSeán FenianOct 17
@nina_kali_nina I gotta say those are soime serious pants and boots. 😁
Show threadMr.Nuclear MonsterOct 17
@nina_kali_nina makes me want to make a NetZero simulator that gives you a random bad banner ad or whatever that you can't remove from your screen in exchange for functional networking. Homebrew malware? hm.
Show threadFritz AdalisOct 18
@nina_kali_nina
Wow, imagine showing this to someone in '92.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 18
@FritzAdalis some rich people had SVGA displays in 1992 :) But yeah, impressive
Show threadFritz AdalisOct 18
@nina_kali_nina
idk I had svga in '92 and I was broke. It's easy when you make bad financial decisions.
Show threadgordoooo_zOct 18
@FritzAdalis @nina_kali_nina ⚰️

Highly accurate statement 😅
Show threadJernej Simončič �Oct 18
@FritzAdalis @nina_kali_nina My father bought a VGA card for 286 we had at home, and I later found some image viewer that supported it – it could do 800x600 256 colour or 1024x768 interlaced 16 colour. It had 512 kB VRAM, the same amount as the computer had RAM :)
Show thread🌸 lily 🏳️‍⚧️   θΔ ⋐ & ∞Oct 17
@nina_kali_nina woah wiby looks cool
also i suppose google want to cut down on having so many legacy code paths
Show threadNina KalininaOct 17
@tauon they used to take pride in supporting legacy browsers, but it was done by a single volunteer or something. Kind of like Facebook-over-Tor.
Show threadTachibana KanadeOct 17
@nina_kali_nina Ohh, I’d completely forgotten about my old hobby of editing the registry to add personal messages to the IE title bar!
Show threadNina KalininaOct 17
@h0m54r that's a great hobby!
Show threadDon Raved TipsOct 17
@nina_kali_nina retro ta fupp
Show threadJernej Simončič �Oct 17
@nina_kali_nina Don't forget 16-bit Flash plugin, though zombo.com unfortunately doesn't serve the .swf file any more.
Show threadNina KalininaOct 17
@jernej__s there are sites that still do, but HTTPS is going to be an issue
Show threadJernej Simončič �Oct 17
@nina_kali_nina Hard to find sites with Flash 3.0-compatible movies though.
Show threadqwaggaOct 25

@jernej__s @nina_kali_nina
#internetarchive?
Offers plain HTTP and has pretty much anything imaginable.

You can also find some open CGI proxies accepting HTTP inbound and speaking HTTPS outbound.

Show threadNermNelly ✨Oct 17
@nina_kali_nina this is the weirdest design for WinRAR I've ever seen
Show threaddgelessusOct 17

@nina_kali_nina "Microsoft VM for Win 3.1/Win NT 3.51" oh goodness, I had no idea that existed... somehow I assumed that the Forbidden JVM™ was exclusive to the 32-bit OSes.

(This is 16-bit IE5, right? Or is IE5 one of the 32-bit applications for which you installed Win32s?)

Show threadNina KalininaOct 17
@dgelessus I know, right? Impressive :) This is a 16-bit IE5; I think 32-bit IE5 requires too much stuff from Windows 98.