Editor's Note
C++, Plus...
How long have you been reading MSDN Magazine? Did you start picking it up five years ago? Ten years ago when we were Microsoft Systems Journal? Even longer? If you've been reading our publication for a decade or more, you've seen a lot of changes in what's considered "cutting edge" development. Looking back at the pages of MSDN Magazine and MSJ, you can see the history of programming for Windows reflected over a 20-year span.
In the first segment of the magazine's life (1986-1990), our coverage was heavily skewed towards the dominant programming language of the time, C. For many of you long-time Windows aficionados out there, your first "Hello World" program was written in C with the Windows API, most likely a simple GetMessage loop straight out of Charles Petzold's Programming Windows book.
In the early 1990s (1991-1995), C++ really captured the imagination of the Windows programming community at large. C++ adoption was propelled further by the 1992 advent of MFC, a set of handy classes that helped objectify programming for Windows by encapsulating lots of functionality. When was the last time you saw a TranslateMessage call? It's rumored that they still have three in captivity at the Microsoft Museum in Redmond, but they're only on display for private events.
C++ was pretty well established by the late 1990s (1996-2000). By July 1996, Paul DiLascia's C/C++ Q&A column was renamed simply C++ Q&A. However, as C++ and MFC cemented its place in the forefront of Windows programming, Visual Basic was gaining huge popularity, especially after version 4.0 provided the ability to target Windows 95 with 32-bit programs. At this point, developers tended to split into opposing camps.
Visual Basic was considered tantamount to "cheating" by many hardcore programmers: it was easy to get code written and running, and you didn't have to take meticulous care with your malloc statements. Nevertheless, C++ and Visual Basic were both integral parts of the GUI-based world of programming.
The past five years (2000-2005) have ushered in the .NET Framework and a new language, C#. A lot of people jumped on the C# bandwagon—it was new, it was cool, it was sharp, it was efficient to use, and it was ideally suited to working with .NET. But where did that leave C++? C++ has been treated like a teenage crush for many people, who have moved on to the seemingly more sophisticated stylings of C#. But now that Microsoft has refreshed C++ for Visual Studio 2005, many people are finding that it's like attending your high school reunion and meeting that formerly dowdy classmate who's had the stunning makeover. And yes, he or she doesn't hold a grudge.
Since along with Visual Studio 2005 comes an improved flavor of C++, there's no better time than now to introduce what many readers have been asking for: expanded C++ coverage. We're doing this in two ways. First, we're pleased to announce a new column, Pure C++, by noted C++ expert Stanley B. Lippman. (If you were wondering, the B stands for C++.) Stan will discuss the C++ language itself, touching on topics like the CLI and generics and their integration with C++.
Aaaaah, you say, but you already have a C++ column! That's correct. Paul DiLascia, who has written more pieces for us than anyone else since 1986, will continue his popular work, with one twist. His column will now be called C++ At Work, representing a focus that will sometimes leave behind the Q&A format. While the column will still answer reader questions, Paul will go beyond the language specification, describing how to solve real-world C++ problems as only he can.
And, as if this weren't enough, we've got even more for you! This issue marks the start of another new column, Inside MSDN. Over the years, the MSDN online team has created all sorts of innovative infrastructure and site functionality. They're willing to share some of their accumulated knowledge with you, and what better place than in MSDN Magazine? This month, Tim Ewald discusses MSDN2—the next generation of MSDN. One of the key features of MSDN2 is a simplified URL scheme. Tim tells us how it was accomplished, and it's pretty darn cool.
Thanks to the following Microsoft technical experts for their help with this issue: Susan Chory, Joe Duffy, John Durant, Dan Fernandez, Mike Fitzmaurice, Kit George, Sean Gephardt, Chris Hays, Larry Jordan, Ronald Laeremans, Martyn Lovell, Jim Newkirk, John Nisi, Erik Olson, Matt Powell, Bill Ramos, Raphael Renous, Jay Roxe, Christina Storm, Roberto Taboada, and Rick Winter.
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