December 30, 2025
Linux pours Wine, sparks a brawl
Loss32: Let's Build a Win32/Linux
A Linux that runs Windows apps: genius move or hot mess
TLDR: A new idea called “Loss32” proposes a Linux system that runs Windows-style desktop apps via Wine, reviving the old PC vibe. Comments split between “just use Windows” skeptics and fans who want to turn Microsoft’s playbook back on them, with extra jokes about VB6 and daily-use sanity.
Someone at the 39C3 hacker gathering just dropped a wild idea: Loss32, a Linux that makes your whole desktop run on Win32 (the old Windows app style) through WINE, plus some ReactOS sprinkles. Translation: download .exe files like it’s 2009 and still be on Linux. The pitch says it could push WINE to get better for everyone and keep creative tools alive that never had proper Linux versions.
The comments? Absolute fireworks. One camp says it’s amusing but impossible because you’d need to mimic Windows quirks and fixes exactly — “might as well just use Windows.” Another camp is here for the chaos: “It’s time Microsoft taste their own medicine,” cheering a cheeky reverse of the old “embrace, extend, extinguish” playbook. A cooler head asked the everyday question: “Do you really want to run Windows apps all day on Linux?” Meanwhile, a retro rebel lobbed a grenade at modern web bloat: “VB6 desktop apps might actually be more stable than today’s web tech.”
The creator admits it’s early, rough, and needs help: better display glue, high‑DPI scaling, and WINE’s file explorer stuff. But the promise is spicy: a free OS with decades of Windows software at your fingertips — and a comment section already setting the kitchen on fire.
Key Points
- •The “loss32” concept proposes a Linux distribution where the entire desktop runs Win32 applications via WINE.
- •It aims to combine the Linux kernel, WINE, and parts of the ReactOS userland to achieve a Windows-like user experience while retaining Linux app support.
- •A screenshot shows stable WINE operating on Debian 13, with acknowledged rough edges and plans to package the environment for easy installation.
- •The rationale includes leveraging Win32’s long-standing ABI compatibility and improving WINE by using it for all desktop functions.
- •The project seeks contributors for Wayland compositor integration, WINE/ReactOS shell components, HiDPI scaling, packaging, and GNU/Linux desktop stack details.