The old new thing : practical development throughout the evolution of Windows

Why does Windows work the way it does? Why is Shut Down on the Start menu? (And why is there a Start menu?) Why do we need dialog loops, and why are they structured as they are?

Why are the rules for programming GetWindowText so odd?

Why are registry files called "hives"? Many of Windows' quirks have perfectly logical causes, rooted in history.

Understand them, and you'll be a more productive, less frustrated developer (and user!).

Now, Raymond Chen - who's spent over a decade on Microsoft's Windows development team - reveals the "hidden Windows" you need to know.

Chen's engaging style, deep insight, and gentle humor have made him one of the world's premier technology bloggers.

Here he brings together behind-the-scenes explanations, invaluable technical information, and fascinating anecdotes that bring Windows to life - and help you make the most of it.Chen shows you: what vending machines can teach you about effective user interfaces; all you ever wanted to know about window and dialog management; why performance optimization can be so counterintuitive; an under-the-hood look at COM and the Visual C++ compiler; backwards compatibility: what Windows does, and what you need to do; and, Windows program security holes most developers don't know about.