[rsync]

"we removed the GUI stack, 32 bit support (WOW64), MSI and a number of default Server Core components. There is no local logon or Remote Desktop support. All management is performed remotely via WMI and PowerShell."

Is this unprecedented ? I think it is, but I've been divorced from the windows ecosystem for a very, very long time ...

Is this, in fact, the first time that there has been a Windows release that had ... no windows ? Had no GUI ? Was administered with a CLI only ?

[wila]

Not really the first time. Windows Server Core has existed since Windows Server 2008 [1]. Sounds like they stripped some more parts like MSI and 32 bits support.

[1] https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/dd184075.aspx