TYB
LB
nice digits…
Windows started off as a gui called Gem.
It basically a DOS platform with a gui overlay.
Windows through to XP/2000 still ran the same way.
the x86 series was very easily hackable if you know DOS.
Also the x86 architecture was still mostly compatible to the following Pentium/586
chip based systems.
If you want an easily hackable setup, these machines offered it all.