ELI request: why are games written for Windows difficult to port to GNU?

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GrevenGull
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Joined: 12/18/2017

I know next to nothing about programming, but I begin to have some vague ideas about how it all hangs together.

Now if a program (f.ex. a game) is written in C or C++ or whatever for Windows, wouldn't it just work in GNU as well? What am I missing?

GrevenGull
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Joined: 12/18/2017

Frogot the "5" in the title lol. ELI5 request:)

jxself
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Joined: 09/13/2010

There can be a variety of reasons; it depends on the program and how well they thought about making it cross platform to begin with. But: I'd say the primary reason would be they don't want to, not for any technical reason.

GrevenGull
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Joined: 12/18/2017

Hm, ok, thanks for input :)

Magic Banana

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I am a translator!

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Joined: 07/24/2010

Some libraries (for example Direct3D) are specific to Windows. Cross-OS alternatives (for example Vulkan) may be technically worse or better.

nadebula.1984
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Joined: 05/01/2018

Copyright and patent restrictions, non-free licenses, DRM, etc..

Technical problems are no problems. Real problems are non-technical.

GrevenGull
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Joined: 12/18/2017

ty MB and nadebula.1984 :)