MSDN Publications

Whether you're developing software for the Microsoft® Windows®, Windows NT(TM) Workstation, or Microsoft BackOffice platforms, or using Microsoft development-related products, we'll provide the toolkits and information you need to help you perform your job more successfully.

The Microsoft Developer Network currently publishes the following CD-ROM and online titles, described in detail in the sections below:

• The Developer Network News (online and printed publication; available to all members)
• The Development Library (quarterly CD-ROM publication; available to all members)
• The Development Platform (quarterly CD-ROM publication; available to Level 2 and Level 3 members)
• The BackOffice Test Platform (quarterly CD-ROM publication; available to Level 3 members)
• Online offerings on the World Wide Web and CompuServe® (available to all members)

Developer Network News

All Microsoft Developer Network members receive the six bimonthly issues of the Developer Network News . The Developer Network News supplements the Development Library with up-to-the-minute information about Microsoft's systems strategy and development products. Here you'll find case studies detailing successful implementations of BackOffice solutions, the future direction of Windows and BackOffice strategy, new development products, updates to current products (and how to get them), programming tips, the lively Backtalk column where readers' questions are answered, and key phone numbers for Microsoft development information, services, and support.

The Developer Network News is also available as a World Wide Web publication, on http://www.microsoft.com/devonly.

Requesting extra copies of the Developer Network News

Use the postage-paid reply cards included in your Welcome Kit to request free copies of the Developer Network News for your friends or co-workers. You may also request additional copies through the Developer Network's CompuServe and Internet addresses:

Internet: msdn@microsoft.com
CompuServe: >INTERNET:msdn@microsoft.com (or type GO MSDN)

Development Library

All members receive four quarterly editions (each issue is cumulative in content) of the Microsoft Development Library, which delivers all the information you need to program for the Windows and Windows NT Workstation operating systems and to create applications with Microsoft Office and BackOffice. The Development Library includes a wide variety of technical articles, sample code, product documentation, the developer Knowledge Base, select content from third-party periodicals, and Microsoft Press books.

Getting started with the Development Library

You can find information in the Development Library in three basic ways: browsing the table of contents, using queries to locate specific information, or using the Keyword Index to look up information on functions, messages, and structures. One of the quickest ways to learn how to use the Development Library is to read the "Getting Oriented" section of the online Help file (press F1 to open the Help file). This topic will provide you with a good overview of how the Library works and how you can customize it to fit your needs. Other sections of the Help file can assist you with locating and using the information found on the Library, including queries, keywords, bookmarks, sample code, copying, and printing.

Development Library contents

Here are some of the collections you'll find in the Development Library CD-ROM:

• Dr. GUI's Espresso Stand

  A review of what's new in the latest edition of the Library.
  

• Member Kiosk

  Information related to MSDN membership, a study guide for becoming a Microsoft Certified Solution Developer (with jumps to relevant readings), and other useful information.
  

• Technical Articles

  Hundreds of articles--more than 200 written exclusively for the Development Library--on topics ranging from Visual Basic tips and MFC Technical Notes to first-hand articles on BackOffice development.
  

• Sample Code

  Over 1800 royalty-free sample applications that demonstrate development techniques in Visual Basic, C/C++, MFC, Visual FoxPro, and Microsoft Access.
  

• Backgrounders and White Papers

  High-level discussions of Microsoft technologies that are a great place to start planning your next project.
  

• Specifications

  The latest specifications, covering technologies such as Plug and Play and TrueType®.
  

• Knowledge Base and Bug Lists

  The complete Developer Knowledge Base, containing over 13,000 articles, with bug reports and workarounds on all Microsoft development products.
  

• Books and Periodicals

  Entire Microsoft Press books, such as Brockschmidt's Inside OLE 2 and Cluts' Programming the Windows 95 User Interface . Also, complete issues of the Microsoft Systems Journal , plus selected articles from Inside Visual Basic , Visual Basic Programmer's Journal , Dr. Dobb's Journal , FoxTalk , Visual Basic Developer , and Smart Access .
  

• Product Documentation

  All documentation for Microsoft development products and toolkits, such as the Visual C++ (both 16- and 32-bit editions), Visual Basic, Visual FoxPro, Microsoft Access, the Win32® SDK, and the Office Developer's Kit.
  

• Unsupported Tools and Utilities

  Internal Microsoft tools such as the Windows Help Authoring Tools and the WinToon SDK.
  

• Conference and Seminar Papers

  Papers, presentations, and sample code from conferences, such as Tech*Ed and DevCast.
  

• Development Platform Contents

  A comprehensive listing of the contents of the quarterly companion release of the Development Platform.
  

For a sampling of technical articles, backgrounders, specs, and samples, see the Development Library Sampler.

Development Platform

The quarterly Development Platform, available with Level 2 and 3 memberships, brings you the latest released versions of Software Development Kits (SDKs) and Device Driver Kits (DDKs) from Microsoft. It also includes current U.S. and international versions of Microsoft Windows, Windows for Workgroups, and Windows NT Workstation operating systems (retail and debug).

Getting started with the Development Platform

The Development Platform includes the Installer program, which allows you to browse the contents of the Platform CDs and install products easily. You can set up the Installer program either directly from the Development Platform CDs or from the Development Library. (The overview in the Development Platform Contents section outlines the contents of the Development Platform and includes the setup program for the Platform Installer.) To learn how to use the Installer, read the "Getting Oriented" section of the Installer Help file (press F1 to open the Help file). This topic defines the buttons on the toolbar, explains how you can explore the contents of the Platform CDs, and describes customization options.

Development Platform contents

The Development Platform October 1995 release contains the following:

Development kits and tools:

• Advanced Game and Multimedia SDK
• BackOffice 1.5 SDK
• Common Messaging Calls SDK
• Far East 32-bit SDK and DDK (Beta)
• Embedded SQL for C Toolkit
• FFAPI SDK 3.0
• MAPI 1.0 PDK (Beta)
• Microsoft MediaView 1.2 Development Toolkit
• MIGRATE: Source Code Migration Tool
• ODBC SDK 2.10
• ODBC 2.0 16-bit Windows and Windows NT Libraries (11 language versions)
• ODBC Desktop Database Drivers 2.0 for Windows and Windows NT
• OLE 2.01 SDK
• OLE Control API for C
• OLE Test Tools (Beta)
• Open GL for Windows 95
• Schedule+ Libraries Version 1.0a2
• Simple MAPI SDK
• SNA Server 2.1 SDK
• TAPI 1.0 SDK
• TCP/IP-32 for Windows for Workgroups 3.11b (Beta)
• Video for Windows 1.1e Development Kit and Run-Time Extension
• Win32 SDK
• Win32 SDK for Windows 95 Beta (Japanese)
• Win32 SDK Version 3.5 (Japanese)
• Win32 SDK Version 3.51 Beta (Japanese)
• Win32s® 1.25 extension for Windows 3.1 (Japanese)
• Win32s 1.25A extension for Windows 3.1
• Win32s Far East
• Windows 3.1 Driver Library
• Windows 3.1 Resource Kit
• Windows 3.1 DDK (4 language versions)
• Windows 3.1 SDK (6 language versions)
• Windows 95 DDK
• Windows 95 Resource Kit
• Windows for Workgroups 3.11 Resource Kit
• Windows for Workgroups SDK and RASAPI Kit
• Windows Help Compiler 3.10.505
• Windows NT Driver Library
• Windows NT 3.5 DDK (Japanese)
• Windows NT 3.51 DDK
• Windows NT 3.5 Resource Kit
• Windows NT 3.5 Service Pack 2 (9 language versions)
• Windows NT 3.51 Service Pack

• MS-DOS® 6.22 and MS-DOS 6.2/V
• Windows for Workgroups 3.11 (17 language versions)
• Windows 3.11 (9 language versions)
• Windows 3.1 (18 language versions)
• Windows 3.2 (Chinese Simplified)
• Windows 95 Beta (Chinese, Japanese, Korean)
• Windows 95 (13 language versions)
• Windows NT 3.5 Workstation on Intel®, Alpha AXP(TM), and MIPS® (7 language versions)
• Windows NT 3.5 Workstation Checked Build on Intel, Alpha AXP, and MIPS (Japanese)
• Windows NT 3.51 Workstation on Intel, Alpha AXP, and MIPS (6 language versions)
• Windows NT 3.51 Workstation on Intel, Alpha AXP, and MIPS Beta (Japanese)
• Windows NT 3.51 Workstation on Intel, Alpha AXP, MIPS, and PowerPC(TM)

BackOffice Test Platform

The BackOffice Test Platform, available only to Level 3 members, delivers the latest released versions of the five server components of Microsoft BackOffice so you can test your client-server solutions with confidence.

With the BackOffice Test Platform, you're assured of always having the latest versions of the BackOffice products, including all upgrades and bug fixes. You also won't have to wait if an important pre-release or final release--such as Microsoft Exchange--falls in between the quarterly shipment cycles; we'll send it to you as a "premium shipment" at no extra charge.

BackOffice Test Platform contents

The first-ever BackOffice Test Platform was released in October 1995 and contained the following products:

• Windows NT Server 3.51
• Microsoft SQL Server 6.0
• Microsoft SNA Server 2.11
• Microsoft Systems Management Server 1.1
• Microsoft Mail Server 3.5
• Microsoft Exchange Server Beta 2
• BackOffice SDK (subsequently shipped with the Development Platform)

Online Publications

The Microsoft Developer Network has a significant online presence and will continue to take advantage of the online medium to provide rich, timely, interactive information and a place to contribute to the growing community of developers for Windows who participate in online forums, chats, and conferences.

The Developer Network has the following online offerings:

• The For Developers Only World Wide Web site (http://www.microsoft.com/devonly) contains an expanded, online version of the Developer Network News that is updated weekly. You'll also find information on the Microsoft family of visual development tools, and in-depth information on Internet development and globalization strategies that ensure you'll stay one step ahead of your customers and competitors.
• Microsoft has a vast array of Windows development-related forums on CompuServe (GO MSDS). The Knowledge Base (GO MSKB) and Software Library (GO MSL) provide thousands of articles, samples, patches, and fixes for Microsoft's systems and development tools. The MSDN forum (GO MSDN) is an active area for discussion of development-related issues, with message sections for peer-to-peer support, a place to ask questions about the Developer Network program and member benefits, and libraries for downloading technical information.

© 1996 Microsoft Corporation