> WSL9x runs a modern Linux kernel (6.19 at time of writing) cooperatively inside the Windows 9x kernel

Pretty sure it's the other way around. But I haven't had my coffee yet ;)

Microsoft's naming scheme confuses me every single time though: "Windows Subsystem for Linux" actually runs Linux on Windows...

You're correct: "WSL9x runs a modern Linux kernel (6.19 at time of writing) cooperatively inside the Windows 9x kernel"

I missed the part that it runs on the bloody Windows 9x kernel, I was to busy thinking about modern Windows.