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3w ago

Native x64 Port Lets Original Microsoft Word 1.1a Run on Modern Windows

A public GitHub project rebuilds 16‑bit assembly and Win16 platform code so the authentic 1990 Word runs as a 64‑bit executable under the Computer History Museum non‑commercial license.

Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a
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Port of Microsoft Word 1.1a to x64 with extra features for research purposes. - jmarshall23/msword

Overview

  • Developer jmarshall23 published a public GitHub repository that supplies the source, CMake presets, build instructions, and automated tests for an x64 port of Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a.
  • The port translates 16‑bit assembly entry points, maps segmented and handle‑based memory to an x64 runtime, and adapts Win16 startup, messaging, graphics, and file behavior so the original C and resource files run unchanged where possible.
  • The result is the original Word application and user experience running as a native 64‑bit Windows executable rather than as an emulator or a modern reimplementation of the UI.
  • The repository does not include prebuilt binaries and requires users to build the project themselves with Visual Studio 2022, a Windows 10/11 SDK, CMake 3.25 or newer, and PowerShell.
  • Because the work starts from the Computer History Museum release of the Word 1.1a source, the code and any derived builds remain limited to non‑commercial use and redistribution is restricted, which frames how researchers and hobbyists can share or publish results.