[frik]

The Win32API was initially designed to make it very easy to port from Win16API in the early 1990s. Microsoft neglected to improve the Win32API starting with the dotNet adventures. Instead of an improved Win64API we have the identical API for 32 and 64 bit (and WinRT API). The shell still doesn't support UNC path. The Windows NT series operating system would support different subsystems other than Win32.

Naming Files, Paths, and Namespaces on MSDN explains the details: http://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/windows/desktop/aa36...