Add new target (i686-pc-windowsxp-msvc)

#1

Hi!

I know windows xp support was dropped here, but it was mentioned in its zulip stream that a separate target for windows xp could still be possible. I would like to propose the creation of this target now, because the compiler hasn't changed much since then, so when cleaning code, it could simply be organized under that target.

Please consider this, because it's not just 3rd-world countries that use windows XP. There are tons of on-premise installations of winxp in for example the manufacturing industries. Plenty of car manufacturers in Germany use such systems, some even have a good number of NT4 systems. The IoT buzz is there for these systems, so supporting them is required by those familiar with the matter (or wait 10 years for the million euro machines' lifetimes to finally end at last).

#2

Would you want that only as a compilation target? Or as a full host directly running rustc itself?

#3

I think it could only work as a target. IIRC LLVM doesn't support XP as a host.

The problem, when I floated this idea previously, was finding people willing to commit to maintaining the target.

#4

That's the problem, really. You mentioned entities like car manufacturers and — maybe some of them could contribute to maintain a target (or sponsor someone who does)? It would be in their own interest if they're using Rust for such a purpose (I don't know if they actually are).