Future of Windows API programming ?

I just want to know what's the future of Windows API programming.

After the arrival of .NET platform , Is API programming going to become obsolete or completely useless ?

Yes, Win32 API will always be around. It is the foundation of Windows.

Kuphryn

Whatever flags you fly over your current technology, it has to get translated to a lower API sooner or later.

I heard, however, the new version of windows (Longhorn) coming in the next 2 years will NOT support WinAPI 32 and that everything would be managed. Correct me if I'm wrong if these are only rumors. I forgot the site I got this information from but I've seen it in many places.

"I heard, however, the new version of windows (Longhorn) coming in the next 2 years will NOT support WinAPI 32"

I am sad to say , you heard right.longhorne is going to
be in some sort. like a cable tv pay per view.



MS "take no prisoner" approach is starting to annoy
some ppl now.

here are the highlights of an early peek into the features
of the longhorne published in an article .


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“The successor to Windows XP (due in 2004, and rapidly slipping to 2005) is currently code named Longhorn, and it will not be compatible with your existing software, hardware or methods. Microsoft has already stated that backward compatibility will not be a design feature.:(

The most important feature of Longhorn is replacement of the familiar DOS/Windows filesystem with an object database. You will no longer copy files to a floppy or CD-ROM or attach them to an email, because there will be no files. Database records will be copied from one database to another, probably through a .NET server. Large organizations will have their own .NET servers, but everyone else will use one of Microsoft's, a service for which you will pay a fee.;)


The Longhorn filesystem will be based on the technology of a re-thought and expanded SQL Server database (the project coded Yukon). Obviously, SQL Server being so tightly integrated with the filesystem will have a negative impact on publishers of other database engines for Windows. Not strange then that market leaders Oracle and IBM are heavily pushing the Linux platform and barely mention their products run on Windows any more.
(IBM revenge)


Current Windows based software WILL NOT BE compatible with the Longhorn filesystem. Microsoft has already stated that all their own software has to be rewritten for it - so will everyone else's. This will eliminate a huge number of software titles which are useful, but not sufficiently profitable to justify rewriting them. Others will fail because their conversion won't be done in time to compete with Microsoft products.


Coming with Longhorn is a new user interface, code named Sideshow, so if you're currently trying to make sense of the new Windows XP user interface, 2005 is when Billy intends to yank your chain again. If you're a Windows programmer, you get to learn a new API framework named Avalon too

here is a shot of longhorn start menu in leaked out
alpha release.

>>Microsoft has already stated that all their own software has to be rewritten for it - so will everyone else's.

The huge multinational corporation I am sub-contracted to is still running WIN95 on some machines because application software will not run on later MS OS's.

They upgraded to WIN2000 this year.

They have a simple strategy, if it costs, they wont do it.

MS's new subscription scheme worked so well they had to give their software away instead, to stop their biggest customer in the southern hemisphere changing to Linux (Telstra).


I will wait and see..........

For some reason 'God Save the Queen' keeps running through my head. Go figure!