Comments on: Buffalo Trip part 1 http://losingcontext.com/blog/2004/07/buffalo_trip_pa.php Tue, 08 Apr 2008 01:12:38 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.1.2 By: Kevin http://losingcontext.com/blog/2004/07/buffalo_trip_pa.php/comment-page-1#comment-20 Kevin Thu, 22 Jul 2004 02:20:17 +0000 http://beta.losingcontext.com/blog/2004/07/buffalo_trip_part_1.php#comment-20 Ok, Joel on Software does not understand Microsoft on Strategy. The problem is not backward compatability, but rather forward compatbility. Programs written for older versions of the OS will continue to run well beyond Longhorn. MS wants you to buy the lastest version of the software, you won't buy it if it doesnt support your existing apps. Realize, however, that supporting old functionality is expensive both in dollars and cycles. For the first time with .NET, Longhorn, Avalon, etc. MS is making the newest technology a first class citizen rather than just a bolt-on. Emulation will still be available for older apps, but only enabled when needed instead of bogging down a system that doesnt need them. I dont agree with the title "Microsoft has lost the API War". I would contend that this signals MS winning the API war. They have developed the Win32 API to the point where countless developers are writing to it. Now, these applications are helping to sell copies of Windows. It may be difficult to see how .NET/WinFX is more than an incremental improvement over legacy Win32 API and this will be an interesting challenge for the MS marketing and evangelism people. Now, Apple threw out everything with OS X, why weren't people kicking and screaming then? Nearly all of thier 2.3% market share was outside of the apple store at midnight waiting to pick up thier copy of the newest OS. Windows is almost as old as I am, and the NT code base is getting up there too. In order to take the next big steps in personal/enterprise computing a more or less clean plate is neccesary. I don't see MS leaving anyone out in the cold here. Now, onto Web Apps. Consider this, as web apps become more functional and more user friendly (red squigly spell check, file save dialog warnings, etc). What difference is their between your browser binaries and the .NET framework binaries? I'd argue that there is very little difference. Will more and more functionality be moved from the core OS into the web browser? At wont point will it stop? I for one, dont want Mozilla running my SQL server. Ok, Joel on Software does not understand Microsoft on Strategy. The problem is not backward compatability, but rather forward compatbility. Programs written for older versions of the OS will continue to run well beyond Longhorn. MS wants you to buy the lastest version of the software, you won’t buy it if it doesnt support your existing apps. Realize, however, that supporting old functionality is expensive both in dollars and cycles. For the first time with .NET, Longhorn, Avalon, etc. MS is making the newest technology a first class citizen rather than just a bolt-on. Emulation will still be available for older apps, but only enabled when needed instead of bogging down a system that doesnt need them.

I dont agree with the title “Microsoft has lost the API War”. I would contend that this signals MS winning the API war. They have developed the Win32 API to the point where countless developers are writing to it. Now, these applications are helping to sell copies of Windows. It may be difficult to see how .NET/WinFX is more than an incremental improvement over legacy Win32 API and this will be an interesting challenge for the MS marketing and evangelism people.

Now, Apple threw out everything with OS X, why weren’t people kicking and screaming then? Nearly all of thier 2.3% market share was outside of the apple store at midnight waiting to pick up thier copy of the newest OS.

Windows is almost as old as I am, and the NT code base is getting up there too. In order to take the next big steps in personal/enterprise computing a more or less clean plate is neccesary. I don’t see MS leaving anyone out in the cold here.

Now, onto Web Apps. Consider this, as web apps become more functional and more user friendly (red squigly spell check, file save dialog warnings, etc). What difference is their between your browser binaries and the .NET framework binaries? I’d argue that there is very little difference. Will more and more functionality be moved from the core OS into the web browser? At wont point will it stop? I for one, dont want Mozilla running my SQL server.

]]> By: mike http://losingcontext.com/blog/2004/07/buffalo_trip_pa.php/comment-page-1#comment-19 mike Wed, 21 Jul 2004 02:28:10 +0000 http://beta.losingcontext.com/blog/2004/07/buffalo_trip_part_1.php#comment-19 "How Microsoft Lost the API War" is a good read. I long for the day when it is all integrated. Intensive real-time apps like games seem the only stumbling block. Maybe this guy has the answer.... http://boston.craigslist.org/art/36888050.html Ive been playing with php5 and its fun! Here is an (lengthy)awesome opinion article on it. http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/7/14/232752/474 “How Microsoft Lost the API War” is a good read. I long for the day when it is all integrated. Intensive real-time apps like games seem the only stumbling block. Maybe this guy has the answer….
http://boston.craigslist.org/art/36888050.html

Ive been playing with php5 and its fun! Here is an (lengthy)awesome opinion article on it.
http://www.kuro5hin.org/story/2004/7/14/232752/474

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