The Old New Thing
Practical development throughout the evolution of Windows.
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May 8, 2026
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Developing more confidence when tracking renames via ReadDirectoryChangesW
You can track the file ID.
May 7, 2026
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When you upgrade your resource strings to Unicode, don’t forget to specify the L prefix
Otherwise, it'll get mapped back down to the 8-bit code page.
May 6, 2026
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Why not have changes in API behavior depend on the SDK you link against?
Static libraries don't stand a chance.
May 5, 2026
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A dispute over the TAB key highlights a mismatch between Microsoft and IBM organizational structures
I want to speak to your manager.
May 4, 2026
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How do I inform Windows that I’m writing a binary file?
You don't. All files are binary at the file system level.
May 1, 2026
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Developing a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 4: Abandonment
Recovering from death of the owner.
Apr 30, 2026
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Developing a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 3: Fairness
Let the exclusive acquisition have a fair chance against shared acquisitions.
Apr 29, 2026
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Developing a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 2: Taking turns when being grabby
Please, not everybody, everything all at once.
Apr 28, 2026
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Developing a cross-process reader/writer lock with limited readers, part 1: A semaphore
A pot of tokens.
