Chapter 1. Getting Started with Windows
Chapter 1 introduces the Microsoft Windows operating system (OS) family and the Windows Application Programming Interface (API) that all family members support. It also briefly describes the 32-bit (Win32) and 64-bit (Win64) API differences and portability issues, and, going forward, we mention Win32 and Win64 only when there is an important distinction.1 The context will help to distinguish between Windows as an OS and Windows as the API for application development.
1 Be aware that Microsoft often uses the term “Win32” generically for unmanaged code; all our code is unmanaged and does not use .NET’s Common Language Runtime (CLR).
The Windows API, like any other OS API, has its own set of conventions and ...
Get Windows System Programming, Fourth Edition now with the O’Reilly learning platform.
O’Reilly members experience books, live events, courses curated by job role, and more from O’Reilly and nearly 200 top publishers.
