Ros-dev

ros-dev@reactos.org

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5793 discussions

Undocumented APIs
by Casper Hornstrup 01 Feb '06

01 Feb '06

I'd like to put this amendment to the IP policy to a vote, but first let's start with the 7 day discussion period. "If an API or a particular behaviour of an API which is part of the Windows(R) operating system is not publicly documented by Microsoft, then the API or the particular behaviour of the API may only be implemented in ReactOS if there is documentation of published software which depend on the API or the particular behaviour of the API, and which is not only distributed with the Windows(R) operating system. The documentation must be available in the repository." I argue that the more ReactOS differ from Windows, the harder it will be to prove that ReactOS is a derivative work of Windows. Med venlig hilsen / best regards Casper Hornstrup Chief Executive Officer @ Eudicon ch(a)eudicon.com / www.eudicon.com (+45) 27 29 36 20

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RE: [ros-dev] Undocumented APIs
by Murphy, Ged (Bolton) 01 Feb '06

01 Feb '06

Casper Hornstrup wrote: > "If an API or a particular behaviour of an API which is part of the > Windows(R) operating system is not publicly documented by > Microsoft, then > the API or the particular behaviour of the API may only be > implemented in > ReactOS if there is documentation of published software which > depend on the > API or the particular behaviour of the API, and which is not only > distributed with the Windows(R) operating system. The > documentation must be > available in the repository." > What if a particular API is required for a particular program to work, but that API is undocumented by both Microsoft and the owner of the said program? Also, what about using code from 3rd parties which might contain undocumented API's, like Wine for instance? Ged. ************************************************************************ The information contained in this message or any of its attachments is confidential and is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. The views expressed may not be company policy, but the personal views of the originator. If you are not the addressee, any disclosure, reproduction, distribution or other dissemination or use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact postmaster(a)exideuk.co.uk <mailto:postmaster@exideuk.co.uk> and then delete this message. Exide Technologies is an industrial and transportation battery producer and recycler with operations in 89 countries. Further information can be found at www.exide.com

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Re: Re: [ros-dev] Undocumented APIs
by Johannes Olofsson 01 Feb '06

01 Feb '06

> > Man! Sweden here we come! > James > ?????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????????? Was this some kind of insult? /Johannes

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RE: [ros-dev] Undocumented APIs
by Murphy, Ged (Bolton) 01 Feb '06

01 Feb '06

art yerkes wrote: > > Which is of course fine, but since ReactOS has no use for > it, why commit it? > > It isn't needed to meet the goals of ReactOS. > > > > Casper > > I don't agree with this sentiment at all. We've always > before been proactive > about implementing at least visible parts of the API to make > it more likely > that applications we didn't know about would have a chance to > work. I think > that's a reasonable way to work, especially if you're working > in an area you've > got a good understanding of. I completely agree with this. Some of the rules being proposed seem to be a little over cautious. This 'shake up' shouldn't put a strangle hold on the project. Ged ************************************************************************ The information contained in this message or any of its attachments is confidential and is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. The views expressed may not be company policy, but the personal views of the originator. If you are not the addressee, any disclosure, reproduction, distribution or other dissemination or use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact postmaster(a)exideuk.co.uk <mailto:postmaster@exideuk.co.uk> and then delete this message. Exide Technologies is an industrial and transportation battery producer and recycler with operations in 89 countries. Further information can be found at www.exide.com

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Re: [ros-dev] Re: Undocumented APIs
by Johannes Olofsson 01 Feb '06

01 Feb '06

> Too vague in my book. I request a reformulation. I sort of get what you > try to indicate, but it's too easy to explain incorrectly and the > meaning as I understand it doesn't include enough APIs to be of any > significance to note down in the IP policy. There are also arguments > against it, like the educational purpose of being able to lecture at > universities on the subject of NT using ReactOS. Why would you want to lecture on the subject "alternative ways to implement undocumented APIs that are not used by any 3rd party software"? /Johannes Olofsson

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Flow chart
by Ged Murphy 01 Feb '06

01 Feb '06

Hi all. Would someone be willing to put a flow chart together on moving code from the main branch to the audited branch. I think if something like this is put in place, it would ensure everyone was operating in the same manner. Pasted from IRC when discussing the audit methodologies: <GedMurphy> I understand what qualifies for being 'unclean' (which it seems most of ReactOS will be initially), in which case it should be placed into the intermediate repository. However it isn't clearly stated what happens then. If documentation can't be located or test cases aren't written, how is that code further analized? <sedwards> If the code is 'unclean' then someone need to mark themselves down to rewrite it on the audit page <GedMurphy> but what if it's not unclean, but there is no documentation for it? Is it automatically deemed to be unclean in that case? <GedMurphy> e.g. Exception wrote most of the original part of the network stack. I'm positive this was done in a clean manner, but where are the docs? Does he still have them? What happens if there aren't any or they have been lost? <GedMurphy> does rewriting them automatically mean that code is then ok? <GedMurphy> senario 2. No docs can be found, but someone writes some. If that code was ripped from Windows assemblies but we provide docs, that code might get through. However it doesn't get around the fact that it's been 'borrowed' from Windows dissasemblies. <GedMurphy> at what point in the audit is the code checked for similarities to the Windows counterpart, if at all? <GedMurphy> This is what I mean by set methodologies. Something should be laid down, like a flow chart I would offer to do it, but I think one of our more experienced dev would make a better job. Maybe someone who has done something like this before. I was hoping for one to follow for myself to make sure I don't drop a b*ll*ck :) Ged.

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Re: [ros-dev] Undocumented APIs
by David Eckert 31 Jan '06

31 Jan '06

I agree highly with Alex, I honestly think that ReactOS has lost complete focus on what their intentions were originally, I think it is time to go into discussion regarding the re-evaluation of the projects primary goals are, this is not good if it is left unmanaged, but on the other hand, it still would be kind of neat for someone to "re-invent the wheel" Windows NT wouldn't it? ;) -- -David W. Eckert

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RE: [ros-dev] GetGlyphOutline
by Murphy, Ged (Bolton) 31 Jan '06

31 Jan '06

Maarten Bosma wrote: > Why do you want to close all bugs ? Most of them will be > still vaild > after the audit. I'd say the better solution is to add them to the > patch category. I agree with Steven. This is a good time to restart bugzilla, as it was a mess. Many of the bugs are going to be invalid, or giving different results after the audit. There will also be many new bugs introduced. It's easier to just restart it than keep tabs on the old tree. We should keep better control over it next time. ************************************************************************ The information contained in this message or any of its attachments is confidential and is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. The views expressed may not be company policy, but the personal views of the originator. If you are not the addressee, any disclosure, reproduction, distribution or other dissemination or use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact postmaster(a)exideuk.co.uk <mailto:postmaster@exideuk.co.uk> and then delete this message. Exide Technologies is an industrial and transportation battery producer and recycler with operations in 89 countries. Further information can be found at www.exide.com

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EventLog documentation
by Saveliy Tretiakov 31 Jan '06

31 Jan '06

Hello. I've put some EventLog links on the wiki: http://www.reactos.org/wiki/index.php/EventLog

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RE: [ros-dev] Undocumented APIs
by Murphy, Ged (Bolton) 31 Jan '06

31 Jan '06

D. Hazelton wrote: > Someone mentioned that regedit might be a piece of code which > is the only one > to use a function call... All modern windows releases ship > with two versions > of regedit, regedit.exe and regedt32.exe - and there have > been several > third-party replacements for regedit released. Win XP and above ship with a new regedit. Regedit.exe(win98 derivative) and regedt32.exe(crippled version for 2K) have both been dropped. Ged ************************************************************************ The information contained in this message or any of its attachments is confidential and is intended for the exclusive use of the addressee. The information may also be legally privileged. The views expressed may not be company policy, but the personal views of the originator. If you are not the addressee, any disclosure, reproduction, distribution or other dissemination or use of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this message in error, please contact postmaster(a)exideuk.co.uk <mailto:postmaster@exideuk.co.uk> and then delete this message. Exide Technologies is an industrial and transportation battery producer and recycler with operations in 89 countries. Further information can be found at www.exide.com

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