Welcome

[This is preliminary documentation and subject to change.]

The Designed for Microsoft® Windows® Logo handbook has three primary goals:

• To introduce a draft of the requirements for the Microsoft® Windows NT® 5.0 and Microsoft® Windows® 98 Logo.
• To provide developers with guidelines about how to write clean applications for Windows environments.
• To provide an easy-to-use reference for all technical information related to the Designed for Microsoft Windows Logo program.

The handbook documents the following different types of programming guidelines:

• Requirements for the Designed for Microsoft Windows Logo.
• Proposed requirements for the next version of the logo program, to become effective in the timeframe of Windows 98 and Windows NT 5.0.
• Additional guidelines and suggestions for building applications that take full advantage of the upcoming releases of Windows 98 and Windows NT.

This document will be updated with subsequent drafts until it is finalized at the release of Windows NT 5.0 beta 2. For the latest version, see the Windows Logo web site at http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/winlogo/.

Current Logo Partners should note that this document includes the complete and unchanged Designed for Microsoft Windows Logo requirements that are currently in effect. The guidelines for the current program remain available in the Logo Handbook version 3.0, which you can download from http://www.microsoft.com/windows/thirdparty/winlogo/.

Requirement Timeline

• Today - Application must pass testing against Designed for Microsoft Windows requirements contained in the Logo Handbook version 3.0.
• Windows NT 5.0 Release (1998) - Applications must pass testing against current requirements and new requirements for the Designed for Windows Logo.

More about this document

So, your first impression probably is that this is a big document. Don't be intimidated! This document is a terrific development resource and includes guidelines that can help you develop the most competitive, highest quality Windows applications available.

So why does the logo program have so much documentation? There are two reasons:

1. We've explained and detailed exactly what each requirement means, how to implement it, and why we believe it's important to define a Designed for Windows application. Based on feedback from our Logo Partners, we've found that developers appreciate getting the most specific, detailed information possible about all the guidelines.
2. We've researched what customers think of as an ideal application. We've worked with our Logo Partners, with end users, and with major corporations to develop the recommendations you will find in this Handbook. This document is a way for us to share this information with you, our current and future Logo Partners; to enable you to leverage not only the Windows brand, but also the valuable feedback that Microsoft hears every day from our customers.

Additionally, to help make the documentation a little easier to use, we've transformed this document from a print format to an online format, and we've added multiple ways of looking at the guidelines and requirements, depending on whether you're trying to get a bird's eye view, or are deep in writing code.

Finally, we look forward to welcoming you to the Microsoft® Windows® Logo Partnership.

Sincerely,

The Windows Logo Team
Microsoft Corporation

October 30, 1997