The Old New Thing
Practical development throughout the evolution of Windows.
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Sep 26, 2025
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Why didn’t Windows 95 setup install a miniature Windows 95 so that it could be written as a 32-bit program?
Getting to the GUI quickly, and rebooting only once.
Sep 25, 2025
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Samples note: Use comments to describe what code does, not what you wish the code would do
Comments explain the code. They are not substitutes for the code.
Sep 24, 2025
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Why is Windows still tinkering with critical sections?
The critical section may be an old dog, but it's still learning new tricks.
Sep 23, 2025
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Another lesson learned from the Windows 98 on-stage USB blue screen
Test before using.
Sep 22, 2025
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Why was Windows 3.0’s WinHelp called an online help system when it ran offline?
It was online in a different sense.
Sep 19, 2025
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Learning to read C++ compiler errors: Not a legal base class
What would make it an illegal base class?
Sep 18, 2025
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Can I close a duplicate handle while I’m waiting on the original?
That's fine, since you're not closing the handle that you're waiting on.
Sep 17, 2025
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How can I get my shell thumbnail extractors to run in the same process?
Adding another level of indirection.
Sep 16, 2025
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Translating the STATUS_STACK_BUFFER_OVERRUN status code into customer-ready text
Reducing the level of alarm.