Possible Reason Behind Version Hop to Windows 10: Compatibility

First time accepted submitter ndykman (659315) writes The Independent reports that a MS developer has suggested a real reason behind the Windows 10 name: old code. More specifically, code that looks for "Windows 9" to determine the Windows version. Fine for Windows 95 or Windows 98, but not so great for a new operating system. The article includes a link that shows that yes, this would be a problem.

Comments

Re:Windows 9X

[ArcadeMan]

Windows 9.8, Secure Edition

11

[Jamu]

It would have been better if they'd gone with Windows 11. One better.

Re:11

[JustOK]

+11 Spinal Tap

Let Me Fix That

[coop247]

if (os.startsWith("Windows 9") || os.equals("Windows Me")) {
ShootYourself();
}

Re:How badly coded are Windows applications?

[CaptainDork]

Ah ... grasshopper ...

You will learn as, you progress in your journey, that convenience is a forever code.

I give you, Y2K.

It's all those linux loving germans...

[reg]

Windows! Nein!

Regards,
-Jeremy

Re:Doh!

[John Bokma]

Of course not, they call it Microsuave Ventanas

Why not create a new API version function?

[JoeyRox]

Old function: GetVersion() and GetVersionEx() [for Windows 8 and older]
New function: GetVersionEx2() [for Windows 9 and newer]

Seems a less intrusive solution that jumping a whole major Windows revision.

Re:Why not create a new API version function?

[NoNonAlphaCharsHere]

Fuckin' PHP programmers! You guys need to die off. How about a GetReallyFor ReallyHonestThisTimeIMeanItVersionNumber()? Or are we going to be using a GetVersionEx47() at some point?

Re:Doh!

[jellomizer]

I figured it had to do with Roman numerals.
They skipped Windows 4 (IV) and they are skipping version 9 (IX)
I figured there is a bug in the roman numeral check for the numbers the need to subtract before the value.

Re:And Java fail again

[Anonymous Coward]

The problem isn't Windows, the problem is incompetent programmers. Instead of calling the proper API to get the version number, morons are doing things like

if (os.startsWith("Windows 9")

You're right. Failing to close your parens is a sign of an incompetent programmer.

Re:How badly coded are Windows applications?

[PPH]

Leave it to the software industry to call the Year 2000 problem 'Y2K'. That's how they got into trouble in the first place.

Re: better name

[Anonymous Coward]

2008 is growing on me, but really after half a decade it's likely just Stockholm syndrome.

Re:Windows 9X

[JustOK]

not without patch KB41592653589793238462643383279502884197169399375105820974944592307816

Re:How badly coded are Windows applications?

[chuckugly]

I'm not sure an OS that makes Java fail to run is completely bad.

Re:And Java fail again

[chuckugly]

C++

Re: How badly coded are Windows applications?

[ArcadeMan]

the problem was the mass media got hold of a 'possible' problem that 'might' affect 'some' computers and spun the issue to be so large as to throw civilization back to the dark ages

Which is silly, really. The worst that could have happened is to throw civilization back to 1900.