Windows XP Kicks Apple II Emulators

["Bryan Parkoff" <BParkoff@satx.rr.com>]

    It seems to make Apple II Emulator programmers angry against Microsoft
that Windows XP has prevented from any Apple II Emulator working.

For example:
720K floppy drive support is removed.
BIOS Video routines such as VGA 320x200x256 is removed.
Some DirectX version support such as version 5-7 is removed.
Some Sound routines such as original Sound Blaster (8-bit/16-bit) support is
removed.
Some Microsoft DLLs support is removed.
Many more other reasons.

    It is how Microsoft makes us unhappy with Windows XP product.  It causes
us to rework and reprogram Apple II Emulator in order to support Windows XP
hardware including sound and display.  It is a lot of work for us because we
have to rewrite Apple II routines to replace the old routines.
    There must be another way to avoid too much work by reprogramming.  We
need to separate Microsoft routines and Apple II routines, but they can't be
mixed.  The Apple II routines are not necessary to be modified unless it is
necessary to improve Apple II design.  It may not be easier for us to modify
Microsoft routines unless we have to LEARN how to write Microsoft routines
in order to support Apple II routines.
    I believe that the old hardware continues to produce floppy drive and
BIOS video (EGA/VGA) in all PC motherboards.  Mac OSX and Linux/Unix always
keep the old hardware routines that we always are using for our Apple II
Emulator programmings.
    Please recommend me which is the best for all of us as Apple II Emulator
programmings to keep old routines.  Should we continue using Windows 98
and/or Linux/Unix so we can continue to support Apple II Emulator projects
forever.


--
Yours Truly,

Bryan Parkoff
BParkoff@satx.rr.com