[RFC] winver.exe output as platform version for windows hosts

[jxsl13]

Is your feature request related to a problem? Please describe.

Both strings: kernel version and platform version contain the exact same string.

It might make sense to change the platform version to the string that is output by winver.exe

which looks like this:
Version 22H2 (Build 22621.1992)

Reference implementation: https://github.com/jxsl13/osfacts/blob/master/distro/distro_windows.go#L51

package main

import (
	"encoding/json"
	"fmt"
	"log"

	"github.com/shirou/gopsutil/v3/host"
)

func main() {
	info, err := host.Info()
	if err != nil {
		log.Fatalln(err)
	}

	data, _ := json.MarshalIndent(info, "", " ")
	fmt.Println(string(data))
}

Output

{
 "hostname": "windows-laptop",
 "uptime": 18048,
 "bootTime": 1691735912,
 "procs": 305,
 "os": "windows",
 "platform": "Microsoft Windows 11 Enterprise",
 "platformFamily": "Standalone Workstation",
 "platformVersion": "10.0.22621.1992 Build 22621.1992",
 "kernelVersion": "10.0.22621.1992 Build 22621.1992",
 "kernelArch": "x86_64",
 "virtualizationSystem": "",
 "virtualizationRole": "",
 "hostId": "12ba0ae0-383e-11ee-84a6-bbe395fdc6b9"
}

[shirou]

According to this page, it seems that BuildNumber is the version of the development build, and Version such as 22H2 is used as the release. Therefore, it would be correct to use Version.

However, if I remember correctly, this version information cannot be obtained from WMI or other sources. Therefore, we use BuildNumber.

Also, even if we could get the Version, it does not seem appropriate to change this value now. It seems to me that you would need to raise a major version.

[jxsl13]

Do you mean that 22H2 cannot be obtained or what exactly cannot be obtained as "Version"?

I have linked a reference implementation in my first post which obtains 22H2 from the registry.

Tho I don't know much of Windows internals to evaluate if the solution works for all cases as intended (especially requiring some special permissions to read the registry), but at least it did work on my Windows machine.

[shirou]

Ah, I see that DisplayVersion was added. In Windows 10 there was a ReleaseId, but it was replaced in the process, and I think there was some problem in the case of Windows 7 as well (but I can not remember...).

However, since Windows 7 is no longer supported by golang from golang 1.21, it may be a good idea to change platformVersion to return DisplayVersion such as 22H2.

But as I said, this changes may break some compatibility. So I also want to request comments about this change.

Possible options:

1. We can make this change now.
2. We can make this change after golang 1.20 deprecated which drops Windows 7 support.
3. We can make this change but with new major version.
4. No, we can not change.