Comment by HardlyYakka

> no-bullshit explanation

Hah! Not really possible, especially considering that the project used to be called windows emulator:

  http://www.faqs.org/faqs/windows-emulation/wine-faq/

I'd say they've changed the meaning so they can reinforce that it's not just another virtual machine ( and that it's faster than one).

Which is true, it doesn't emulate another hardware architecture's calls, just the kernel and OS magic needed.

In that regard, think of say a console game or arcade game emulator on a computer- that will have to emulate the whole architecture of said game system as well as the game.

Contrast that to a game program for the the x86 architecture, but not for windows- you could run it natively on windows providing you change everything the game asks for that's part of the Gamesystem380 system into something windows understands, and vice versa.