Tuesday, December 19, 2006

Vista is WinHlp-less.

I just discovered KB article KB 917607.  Windows help is a help program that's been around a long time. It enables access to  help files stored on older .hlp file format.

Unfortunately, says the KB article, WinHlp no longer "meets Microsoft Standards" (although the particular standards are not mentioned). For this reason, it has been removed from Vista. Worse, the KB states that venders are prohibited from distributing the help application.  So if you have an application that works fine under XP and uses the older .HLP file format for help - the help will not work under Vista. Worse, MS is prohibiting the application vendor from helping you.

But as I read on, users will be able to download a version of the WinHlp code. One small thing: according  to the KB  article, this application is not ready yet and will be provided some time in early 2007.  Or so the KB article claims.

 I think of all those older corporate apps using older help files that will now not seamlessly work  on Vista. Is MS trying to stop businesses from upgrading to Vista? This is more proof, if proof is actually needed, that Vista was released before it's ready.

Roll on SP1!

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