[antiRepublicrat]

I don't think anybody is requiring changes in the code, and this is not a source release requirement. Microsoft must DOCUMENT how to call functions, and only at a fairly high level, too. What's the big freakin' deal?

The claim is that Microsoft has lots of APIs that nobody else knows about. Thus their products can use the APIs to get better functionality than the competition. So if Microsoft makes monopoly-power Client A and someone else makes Server B, Microsoft will have an unfair advantage when they release Server C that functions better with A than B does because it uses the secret APIs (and any variation on that theme).

[dayglored]

> The claim is that Microsoft has lots of APIs that nobody else knows about. Thus their products can use the APIs to get better functionality than the competition.

Ah, yes... "DOS ain't done until Lotus won't run." The SOBs never change.

Nor do their apologists. ;-)

Of course, they're increasingly subtle about it these days. Microsoft's compatibility testing is legendary, and deserves praise, Vista notwithstanding.

OTOH, it's perfectly clear that WHEN THEY WANT TO DO SO, they cut the competition off at the knees using their proprietary secret advantage.

[Still Thinking]

The claim is that Microsoft has lots of APIs that nobody else knows about. Thus their products can use the APIs to get better functionality than the competition. So if Microsoft makes monopoly-power Client A and someone else makes Server B, Microsoft will have an unfair advantage when they release Server C that functions better with A than B does because it uses the secret APIs (and any variation on that theme).

A variation of this allegation has been made that doesn't even involve Microsoft apps. Say third party vendor X agrees not to sell a Linux version of their app. Then they are given access to the "secret" calls that make their Windows product work better than one from some other less cooperative vendor who is forced to code to the published API.