Kenny Kerr

Windows Web Services FAIL

In 2007 I published an article about the cool XmlLite API introduced with Windows Vista. Although the XmlLite developers wanted to provide a redistributable for Windows XP, they never managed to get it past the Microsoft lawyers. Eventually Windows XP Service Pack 3 was released including XmlLite but by then many developers had given up on it. I felt that this was a great embarrassment for Microsoft. But that was in the Windows Vista era. Surely things have improved in the Windows 7 timeframe.

Fast forward to 2009 and in the November issue of MSDN Magazine I wrote about the excellent Windows Web Services (WWS) API introduced with Windows 7. If you’re targeting Windows 7 and later this is an excellent addition to your developer toolbox. But it seems a similar fate has befallen it. Although a redistributable is apparently available I have yet to see it again thanks to the lawyers. After months of requesting and waiting, I finally heard back from a lawyer again but now it turns out I need to purchase a premiere support contract in order to qualify for the redistributable.

I’ve never needed paid support from Microsoft and I don’t see why I need to get a contract now! For crying out loud I’m a Microsoft MVP and I provide free support to Microsoft customers. Just a little ironic. Anyway, if you’ve got one of these fancy support contracts I guess you’ll be fine. As for me I’ll just have to wait till Windows 7 is as ubiquitous as Windows XP before I will give it another look. This really would not have bugged me if Microsoft hadn’t made such a big deal about how a redistributable would be made available to developers.

Goodbye Windows with C++ and Layered Windows with Direct2D

I’ve been offline for days at a time while traveling through South Africa and just noticed that my latest Windows with C++ column, Layered Windows with Direct2D, is now live on the MSDN Magazine website.

This issue is bittersweet for me as it is both one of my favorite articles to date and also my last for the magazine. Although MSDN Magazine will continue for some time, Microsoft is getting out of the magazine business, and it just no longer makes sense for me to write for the magazine on a regular basis. Of course being the last remaining C++ columnist I’m not sure anyone will notice.  :)

This is my third article on Direct2D. From the article:

In my third installment on Direct2D, I’m going to show off some of its unmatched power when it comes to interoperability. Instead of exhaustively detailing all the various interoperability options that Direct2D provides, I’m going to walk you through a practical application: layered windows. Layered windows are one of those Windows features that have been around for a long time but haven’t evolved much and thus require special care to use effectively with modern graphics technologies.

I hope you enjoy it.

Here are links to some of the most recent Windows with C++ columns:

November 2009 – Windows Web Services

September 2009 – Drawing with Direct2D

June 2009 – Introducing Direct2D

April 2009 – The Virtual Disk API in Windows 7

February 2009 – Visual C++ 2010 and the Parallel Patterns Library

December 2008 – x64 Debugging With Pseudo Variables and Format Specifiers

October 2008 – Exploring High-Performance Algorithms

August 2008 – Asynchronous WinHTTP

And here is a complete list.