[Enhancement] Extend OS Support to Windows Server 2016 (Terminal Services)

[UweReisewitz]

Summary

Since Applications are (especially in larger corporations) not only deployed to the desktop but also to Terminal Servers, Server 2016 should be supported as well

API Changes

This would require a change for WINUI3.
The minimum required operating system would need to be lowered from 1803 to 1607 (which is still supported; full support until 10/12/2021 and extended support until 10/13/2026)

MAUI relies on WINUI3 on Windows Desktop. Currently WINUI3 is expected to require Windows 10 1803 as the minimum operating system. While that's fine for the desktop, it is not on the server side. This would require Windows Server 2019 for deployment and it would not be possible to deploy MAUI apps to Server 2016.
Windows Server 2016 is fully supported until January 2022 and its extended support ends in 2027. Since a deployment of a Server not only requires the OS license but the CALs as well, a lot of customers will stay on this platform for the years to come.
IMHO, this creates a problem for adopting MAUI.
MAUI is the UI environment we were waiting for. It promises to deliver great flexibility and is not agnostic to the used device. On the other hand, Terminal Server Environments are a reality that cannot be ignored and having to implement a different UI just for those systems would be a major drawback

Intended Use Case

MAUI applications should support a deployment to Terminal Server Environments and should not be limited to Windows Server 2019 due to the large number of Server 2016 in the field for the foreseeable future

[MohsenAkbar]

Did

[UweReisewitz]

I'm sorry, did I miss something fundamental here? The comments I got seem to want to tell me something but I have to admit, I do not understand it.
I've read the contributors file but I fail to see how that would help. Would you recommend that I try to port WinUI 3 to Server 2016 myself?
Please advise.

[Redth]

Thanks, unfortunately this one is out of scope for MAUI and mostly dependent on the Windows App SDK plans. I do not believe they have any current plans to support older windows versions.