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Developer runs 1990 Word on Windows 11
ZDNET··12 Aug
Developer Justin Marshall rebuilt Microsoft Word for Windows 1.1a from 1990 so it runs as a 64-bit executable on Windows 10 and 11. He combined restored original sources with modern platform replacements. Trying it requires Visual Studio 2022 with C++ desktop tools, a Windows SDK, CMake 3.25 or newer, and PowerShell. Build steps are on GitHub.
Prism
What It Means For You
- Windows users who miss simpler editors can note a community rebuild exists, but it needs developer tools rather than a one-click install.
- Students learning legacy software can treat the GitHub build as a case study in porting 16-bit apps to 64-bit Windows.
- Writers comparing distraction levels can contrast 1990 Word with current AI-heavy suites before changing tools.
What's Happening
- Justin Marshall published a rebuild of Word for Windows 1.1a that runs on Windows 10 and 11 as a 64-bit executable.
- The project restores original sources and pairs them with modern platform replacements.
- Replication requires Visual Studio 2022 with C++, a Windows SDK, CMake 3.25 or newer, and PowerShell.
From 16-Bit WYSIWYG Pioneer to Hobby Port
- In the early 1990s, Windows Word offered visual formatting after DOS tools such as WordPerfect 5.0 and Word 5.0.
- Microsoft later open-sourced Word 1.1a sources through the Computer History Museum, enabling preservation projects.
- Marshall work is independent community engineering, not a supported Microsoft product path.
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