Windows8 Technical Documentation Issues (TDI) In the Works
Windows7 has been out less than six months, and already there is speculation about the next generation of Windows, Windows8. The Redmond company may not be saying much now, which is understandable, given the success of Windows7. The unspoken, but true, thinking is, why take publicty away from a successful venture and place it on a venture that is still at least a year and a half away. Go with the flow, and the flow right now is Windows7.
But Microsoft is quietly planning the next generation of Windows client and server platforms for the general public. Leaks have been kept to a minimum, but Microsoft is already developing technical documentation for the US Department of Justice, and its own internal documentation on what will be a major project. The DOJ-Microsoft settlement in 2000 added requirements about pending OS projects.
The Microsoft Communications Protocol Program or MCPP is a program which makes available technical features to third parties about the structure of the next operating system, Windows 8 and Windows 8 server. Third-parties use the documentation to leverage their hardware or software development efforts in order to build interoperability with Microsoft’s products. Part of the technical content is related to Windows 8 and Windows 8 Server. There is also documentation related to application products and software development products.
As many as 500 Microsoft employees and staff are involved in producing the MCPP technical documentation. There is overlap with the European Work Group Server Protocol Program, also part of the European Union’s effort to monitor compliance with legal rulings against Microsoft. With both of these watchdogs looking at Microsoft, the individual work relates to both programs or is exclusive to the MCPP.
Some 200 product team engineers and program managers are currently developing and reviewing the technical content to include in the legal compliance documentation. This includes work on Technical Documentation Issues (TDI) resolution as well as producing new content for the next version of Windows Client and Windows Server.