Microsoft Simplifies API for Longhorn

zzxc writes "InternetWeek.com reports that Microsoft is cleaning up its API and integrating its XML Application Markup Language for its anticipated Longhorn release. An unnamed source says that Microsoft will be slashing the number of API calls from 76k to 8k. In addition, the new graphics device interface, codename Avalon, will use XAML-based scripts instead of a complicated API. Microsoft is planning on including XAML design in the next Visual Studio.net release. CRN is also reporting on this."

Comments

Nice Step

[4of12]

OK, so are they really doing away with those old interfaces, or just pretending they're not there, not documenting them, etc?

I'd be impressed if the API was condensed into 8k well-documented routines that completely spanned win32 functionality. Like, if another company were to provide the same 8k routines they could, albeit with less performance, run any and all win32 applications (on different hardware, under different OS, etc.).

Re:Cool.

[torpor]

Sure ... lets see ... theres ummm ... LoadLibrary(), then there's LoadLibraryEx(), then there's LoadLibrary32(), then there's LoadLibrary32Ex(), then theres MS_LoadLibrary(), then theres MS_LoadLibrary32(), then theres MS_LoadLibraryEx() ...

Oh, okay, I give up. I only ever used LoadLibrary() a couple hundred times, personally, and even then, only to get incompatible API functions loaded from various copies of the same .DLL found all over C:\WINDOWS, C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM, C:\WINDOWS\SYSTEM32, C:\WINDOWS\WINNT, etc.