Mark Russinovich

Microsoft exec. confirms Windows 11 is just as full of old code as you suspected: 'We were thinking flying cars and moon stations by the year 2026, not Win32'

Microsoft executive Mark Russinovich confirmed that Windows 11 heavily relies on the Win32 API, which dates back to Windows 95. Despite attempts to introduce newer APIs like WinRT, the legacy Win32 framework remains essential due to the vast ecosystem built upon it. Russinovich noted that the original vision for 2026 was far more futuristic than the continued reliance on 1990s code.