By Sean Endicott
Publication Date: 2026-04-24 17:03:00
Every year enthusiasts declare that it’s the “year of Linux,” but what if instead of that milestone happening in 2026, it retroactively happened in 1995. Open source developer “Hailey” did not invent a time machine, but they did create Windows 9x Subsystem for Linux (WSL9X) that allows you to run Windows and Linux apps side-by-side on Windows 95 and other classic versions of Windows.
The developer of WSL9X explains how the tool works on “Codeberg.”
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WSL9X isn’t emulation. It isn’t virtualization. It’s not DOSBox. It’s a Linux kernel running as a peer inside an operating system that predates USB flash drives.
Hailey noted on Mastodon that WSL9X does not require hardware virtualization, so it can run on what many would call ancient hardware.
WSL9X is available for download, but you have to build it…
