On mySimon: Pride and Prejudice and Zombies
BNET Business Network:
BNET
TechRepublic
ZDNet
TalkBack 50 of 96:
Next »
« Previous
Neil Barrett is right on about API documentation
Wow. Can we get Neil Barrett to review Microsoft's (lack of) compliance in API documentation for the DOJ settlement?

"Any programmer or programming team seeking to use the technical documentation for a real development exercise would be wholly and completely unable to proceed on the basis of the documentation," Neil Barrett, Commission monitoring trustee, said in a statement.

"The documentation appears to be fundamentally flawed in its conception, and in its level of explanation and detail," Barrett added. "Overall, the process of using the documentation is an absolutely frustrating, time-consuming and ultimately fruitless task."

Microsoft documented a couple hundred Windows APIs in 2002, those used by middleware (e.g. Internet Explorer). And the documentation is incomplete, misleading, sometimes incorrect, and not thorough enough. Everything that Neil Barrett says in these sentences, applies to the DOJ settlement's APIs.

The APIs in question:
http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dnapiover/html/api-overview.asp
Posted by: PB_z   Posted on: 12/22/05 You are currently: a Guest | Members login | Terms of Use
Reply to Story Reply to Message

Alert moderator to an offensive message

Subscribe to this discussion via Email or RSS

Well, the EU has been quite generous  Boot_Agnostic | 12/22/05
No, they have the info, they refuse to review it.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
Review of info  Yagotta B. Kidding | 12/22/05
Another case of selective reading.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
Yes, you do that.  Fred Fredrickson | 12/22/05
Yes, you do that.  Fred Fredrickson | 12/22/05
This is not about the EU...  Anton Philidor | 12/23/05
$ 1,702,000,000  nomorems | 03/28/06
I guess flaunting the law pays in some cases.  DonnieBoy | 12/22/05
Europe threatens Microsoft with daily fines  Loverock Davidson | 12/22/05
Fair Play  IndigoDarkwolf | 12/22/05
Questions  linusconcepcion@... | 12/22/05
Not API's in question.  JeremyAllison | 12/22/05
Missing the point of an API  Spacely Spacerockets | 12/22/05
This is about interoperability information, not API's  JeremyAllison | 12/22/05
Have the EC instructions been clear?  Anton Philidor | 12/23/05
Fair Play  Loverock Davidson | 12/22/05
Hmmm, case law or your opinion...  jasonp@... | 12/27/05
To the EU I say, "Hey, I'm ready. Bring it on!"  ProfessorJim | 12/22/05
Should MS (or even Apple, FTM)  John Zern | 12/22/05
And if Microsoft does not like the laws, they can withdraw the product.  DonnieBoy | 12/22/05
I wish they would  Loverock Davidson | 12/22/05
The Europeans are pretty smart, it would not take them long to switch  DonnieBoy | 12/22/05
They aren't that smart..  John Zern | 12/22/05
No, MS could withdraw the procuct at any time. They would still be  DonnieBoy | 12/23/05
In your dreams  Loverock Davidson | 12/22/05
Yes, Apple is a much better OS, MS withdrawing would help Europe.  DonnieBoy | 12/23/05
You are dreaming. NT  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
No, Microsoft has every ritght to withdraw, this is not a dream.  DonnieBoy | 12/23/05
Microsoft is not really the issue here...  ProfessorJim | 12/22/05
I fear you are right, look at Boeing.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
Boeing  jorwell | 12/23/05
Leave the drugs alone. It's the EU whining.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/23/05
Boeing didn't sue, they aren't the ones WHINING.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/23/05
Boeing started it  jorwell | 12/27/05
The EU is more socialistic. Europe invented the concept.  osreinstall | 12/27/05
MS leaving europe would hardly send thier economy into hell  balsover | 12/23/05
Take The HInt  node357 | 12/22/05
The same to you!  european | 12/23/05
Neelie Kroes  techboy_z | 12/22/05
Anyone remember  Yagotta B. Kidding | 12/22/05
Would a new appointee...  Anton Philidor | 12/23/05
This is an outrage...  Mike Cox | 12/22/05
Charitable Wrong Doing  mighetto | 12/22/05
Facinating  maldain | 12/23/05
Facinating  maldain | 12/23/05
Here is why.  osreinstall | 12/24/05
ROFL @ Mike Cox  Maverick Hunter | 12/22/05
HAHAHA  Codedigital | 12/22/05
Neil Barrett is right on about API documentation  PB_z | 12/22/05
Devilish Chat. Barrett is a God!  mighetto | 12/22/05
Corrections  java.user | 12/22/05
Wait a minuter MS gave it to them. Why the whining?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
I Know What They're Up To  node357 | 12/22/05
Explain what is "just" in compling and still being fined.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
Compliance?  node357 | 12/22/05
Remember, please  JDThompson | 12/22/05
Then why start the fine now?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
They haven't  Richard Flude | 12/22/05
Ah, just saber rattling of fools huh.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/23/05
Breathtaking  Yagotta B. Kidding | 12/22/05
Ummm, did you read the entire article?  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/22/05
"It"  Yagotta B. Kidding | 12/23/05
Glad to see you finally admit I am right.  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/23/05
Because they are late  balsover | 12/23/05
Ta, Ta EU  escapepod | 12/22/05
SO it is ok to develop software in the EU but not sell?  B.O.F.H. | 12/22/05
Great idea!  JDThompson | 12/22/05
Master Microsoft  ocima@... | 12/22/05
Minor correction  java.user | 12/22/05
Major correction  whisperycat | 12/23/05
A few corrections  java.user | 12/23/05
Major correction  whisperycat | 12/23/05
As further proof that you are wrong =P  java.user | 12/23/05
Pocket lint  Yagotta B. Kidding | 12/22/05
then EU should hit M$ even more then  toxicfreak | 12/22/05
The International Herald Sums It Up Nicely  Edward Meyers | 12/22/05
MS is not a EU company  balsover | 12/23/05
What the EU can do  Yagotta B. Kidding | 12/26/05
USA /M$ VS the world  toxicfreak | 12/23/05
Govt and biz aren't the countries people  Boot_Agnostic | 12/23/05
WHy the EU commision is so scared...  No_Ax_to_Grind | 12/23/05
Well, MS has better get used to the REAL procedures in Europe.  DonnieBoy | 12/23/05
Real law, WTF are you talking about  toxicfreak | 12/23/05
HUH??  kjgslg@... | 12/27/05
Axe, get more information before you post please  nizuse | 12/25/05
Axe, a general response to your postings  nizuse | 12/25/05
Twilight Zone  kjgslg@... | 12/27/05
Big rush?  zkiwi | 12/26/05
Justice is Blind,, Deaf and Dumb  kjgslg@... | 12/27/05
Blame Canada  Boot_Agnostic | 12/27/05
tks boot I needed that  kjgslg@... | 12/27/05
How will M$ pay up???  Bill_Jackson | 12/23/05
Have em give them copies of Redhat  Boot_Agnostic | 12/25/05
Intelectual Property  kjgslg@... | 12/27/05
Shake the Money Tree  kjgslg@... | 12/27/05

What do you think?

SponsoredWhite Papers, Webcasts, and Downloads

advertisement
advertisement

SmartPlanet

Click Here