Comments on: Obscure Microsoft product behind halt of Windows releases

Compatibility glitch with latest versions of Windows casts spotlight on Dynamics Retail Management System, a tool to help midsize retailers manage their stores.

[Orion Blastar]

I knew this a long time ago

every time Microsoft releases a new OS or SP it changes the API calls used by various DLLs.

I knew this as far back as 1999, when Windows 2000 beta was causing all kinds of problems. Office 2000 had the same kind of issues.

I wrote Visual BASIC programs for FORTUNE 500 companies as a programmer analyst. I tried to explain this to managers, but they wouldn't listen. I said wait until Microsoft releases all of the API changes so I can modify the API calls that our customized software makes with Windows and Office library files and fix the issues. But they wouldn't listen. I had contacted Microsoft over those issues and they said a future service pack will address compatibility issues and the API calls are undocumented and part of Microsoft's IP and not released to the public.

Windows XP had the same issues, as did Vista and now XP SP3.

It isn't just Microsoft's business software that has issues with Vista and XP SP3, but a lot of other legacy business applications. Many firms are still sticking to Windows 2000 SP4 and Windows XP SP2 or SP1 for now. As they addressed all of the compatibility issues with legacy business software.

Microsoft is in such a hurry to get new OSes and service packs out that they don't test critical applications to see if they work with the new versions of system files anymore. Not even their own critical business software it seems.

[Jon N.]

So True....

Right on, Orion Blastar! M$haft now is neglecting it's quality control (if that's what you want to call it) to its core clientèle - Businesses. Sad. I guess it's not a question of "If", but "When" the M$haft dynasty falls! maybe, that's why M$haft linked up with Novell. When they fall, they can always point to Novell and say, "Use them, please". I say, "Switch to Linux, NOW!"

[Bill_I]

API calls (of which I know nothing)

You are right on the money. I don't trust anything from MS until its been out there a while. They seem to think that final testing is done by the users at customer expense. In other words, each release is a large experiment, not viable for anything, business especially, until user compatibility issues are identified and repaired. We should all be thankful that Boeing aircraft does not take the same approach. I run W2K on a P1 with Office 97, Firefox and Thunderbird. F&T are updated constantly by a small nimble organization using lots of input from the open-source community, whereas the MS bureaucracy goes through various stages of denial, obfuscation and foot-dragging.

[macoverdose_dot_com]

Is this a surprise?

MS is more interested in touting numbers than getting something
good out to customers. Its little surprise that they cant even make
their own crapware work together.

[Jon N.]

All the more..

This is all the more reason for people to stop using Windows. Though I feel that there should be a market for non-Apple products, this just gives everyone more of an incentive to switch to Linux or a MAC. If you have a new machine, try Linux. If you need to buy a new machine because it's obsolete, MAC's are a very viable option now.

[Jon N.]

"Potential"?!

It's been my experience over the last 5 years that Windoze is rife with data loss. M$haft makes it sound like this is something new and different. HAA! When I started to use Windoze XP, and even when I switched to Vista, I lost data like a bad set of keys! The reason I switched to Ubuntu Linux, was because of the problems I had due to Kernel instability & data loss. Don't get me wrong, I back up all of my data at the end of the week - REGARDLESS of my OpSys! I do it onto a SD 1GB Flash Drive. That way, I can take it with me in the case of an emergency. This is just another reason to switch to Linux. I don't know what cash register system Apple may have, but rest assured, there is a few retail register applications in Linux. Now, with this problem, M$haft Windoze sinks a bit faster! I love the yoga commercial on Apple's website. In one word, "Funny". M$ Windows is defective. MICROSOFT: RECALL YOUR WINDOWS SYSTEM NOW!

[Markus2008]

@ Jon N. - Please stop spamming

Repeating yourself just makes you look ignorant.
Microsoft could stop developing right now and XP would still be the dominant OS for at least 10 years, as it should be.

Name one other company, ever, that has improved business efficiency more than Microsoft. Wait, don't just name them, back them up as well as to how they have done more for businesses than Microsoft.

Just so you know, I use Macs exclusively, I prefer the interface.

Linux is not for main stream consumers or businesses and likely never will be.

[Vegaman_Dan]

Respect for your comments?

People may have trouble taking your comments seriously when you use the vernacular of a small undisciplined child stomping their feet and shaking their small fists in the air throwing a tantrum.

If you wish to be respected, treat others with similar respect- especially that of your adversaries. You will come across much more credible that way.

[vadik78]

Why delay a release because of a software noone uses?

The delayed SP3 because "Dynamics RMS is used to manage about 38,000 different store locations".

Would they delay SP3 if it would break IBM's lotus notes or Oracle database that has more then 38,000 users?

P.S. Lotus Notes sucks, so they should release service packs that break Lotus ;)

[daftkey]

Probably not Lotus Notes but..

Likely if they released a Service Pack that would affect Lotus
Domino or an Oracle Database system (presumably this would
be on Windows Server, not XP, where service pack deployment
isn't done quite as routinely or automatically, anyway), then it
would be recalled just as quickly.

I can't think of any Lotus Notes installation that would be as
critical as an RMS installation would be (basically, RMS clients
are retailers that do >$100M per year in sales, and they would
have to stop or severely slow their business if RMS were to fail).

[Tokimemofan]

Good one, but for that you have NT4 SP6

It's funny you mention Lotus Notes because when they broke that one with Windows NT4 Service Pack 6 they had Service Pack 6a out a week later, Microsoft fixin' stuff on the week of Thanksgiving for crying out loud! Considering we have Windows XP Service Pack 2c, you can bet they will find an excuse to make us another revised glitch pack.

[ismabera]

hurry without making quality tests

Till Windows 95 I always wait 1 or 2 years before I decide to change Windows. MS never made new Windows without a lot of bugs. They are making the same mistake (hurry without making quality tests) as IBM made with OS2 (199x) and lost war with MS on PC area.

[battlefella]

Would Microsoft do this for anyone else?

Microsoft often says that their OS people don't play favorites with their own apps (which does often seem to be the case as the two divisions don't often intermingle), but one has to ask: Would Microsoft delay release of an OS Service Pack and halt auto-updates of another one if someone else, say Oracle or Powersoft, had an issue that 38,000 of its customers might lose data?

There is no doubt that the Microsoft response to them would be "update your own app or tell your customers to turn off auto-update, we can't hold up a SP for just 38,000 sites".

In that light, this reaction is very interesting.

[daftkey]

Something as critical as this, yes!

There's only 38,000 clients, but the software is a business critical system, and the damage of data loss resulting from the bad service pack could be tremendous. RMS clients are typically retailers that do >$100M per year in sales, and they would have to stop or severely slow their business if RMS were to fail.

If Microsoft were to put out a service pack that would damage, say, an Oracle database or a J.D. Edwards financial system (presumably this would be moreso on the Windows Server rather than XP Client side), it's pretty likely that the service pack would be recalled as well.

[chash360]

They could take over banking so...

They have tried to grab the money from the other end, by getting into POS systems?

Sorry, but anyone dumb enough to let M$ just take over their physical cash flow systems, is just asking to be ripped off!

[daftkey]

troll..

Yeah, like that comment doesn't reek of uninformed bias.

You've officially announced that you are unqualified to participate in this dicussion.

Thank you - come again!

[JCPayne]

Just wait til they screw up Yahoo's sofrware too.

Boy ohh boy they will destroy Yahoo in nooo time flat.

[JCPayne]

Just wait til they screw up Yahoo's software too.

Boy ohh boy, M$ will sure destroy Yahoo in nooo time flat.