extern(Windows) behavior on non-Windows systems

[deadalnix via Digitalmars-d]

On Wednesday, 11 June 2014 at 22:25:22 UTC, Walter Bright wrote:
> It changes the calling convention and name mangling to match 
> what Microsoft uses for the Windows API.

OK, but I don't get why you wouldn't be able to use
extern(C/C++/Whatever) and it adapt to the system. Obviously
there is something about windows that I'm not really aware of.