Ansi vs Unicode API

[Max Samukha]

On Mon, 16 Nov 2009 01:36:30 -0800, Walter Bright
<newshound1 at digitalmars.com> wrote:

>Denis Koroskin wrote:
>> I'd like to raise 2 issues for a discussion.
>> 
>> First, Phobos makes calls to different functions, based on the OS we are 
>> running on (e.g. CreateFileA vs. CreateFileW) and I wonder if it's 
>> *really* necessary, since Microsoft has a Unicode Layer for those 
>> Operating Systems.
>> 
>> All an application needs to do to call W API on those OS'es is link with 
>> unicows.lib (which could be a part of Phobos). It does nothing on Win2k+ 
>> and only triggers on 9x OS family.
>> 
>> A very good overview of it is written here:
>> http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/goglobal/bb688166.aspx
>
>The unicows doesn't do anything more than what Phobos does in attempting 
>to translate unicode into the local code page. All that using unicows 
>would do is cause confusion and installation problems as the user would 
>have to get a copy of unicows and install it. unicows doesn't exist on 
>default Windows 9x installations.
>

You so readily abandon support for Mac OS X 10.5 but keep catering for
the convenience of users of the outdated Windows 9x. Don't you see
anything wrong with this approach?