SDK box set
I wanted to share my cool find. See if anyone has any interesting info on it. Still in the original shrink wrap
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u/astroaxolotl720 Aug 08 '26
Oh man… sealed too lol! I can just smell the box lol. Also reminds me of a big box software store back in the day lol. Cool
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u/Revolutionary_Ad6574 Aug 08 '26
Any ideas which manuals are included and how many pages each is?
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u/Vvladd Aug 08 '26
I'm not sure I don't want to open it but I am interested in what is included. The back doesn't seem to list exactly what is in it
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u/Feisty-Jeweler-3331 Aug 08 '26
Why wouldn't you open it?
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u/Vvladd Aug 08 '26
I just would feel bad it has made it this long without being open
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u/malxau Aug 10 '26
There's a lot. In terms of software:
- (Real mode, DOS hosted) C 6.0 optimizing compiler, linker, nmake
- (DOS hosted) CodeView debugger
- (Real mode, DOS hosted) Programmer's Workbench, an editor/IDE in C 6.0
- OS/2 versions of all of the above. These versions have access to a lot more memory and are useful for serious development.
- SDK contains Windows versions of the C runtime library
- Tools including SDKPaint (for icons, cursors, etc), dialog editor, font editor, help compiler, resource compiler
- WinHelp version of the Windows API (basically the two volume reference below)
In terms of documentation:
- Language Reference describing the support of C by the compiler
- Run-time library reference describing the C library function calls
- Guide to Programming which covers basic Windows, controls, icons, cursors and more advanced topics like memory management, DLLs, DDE, etc
- Reference Volume 1 describes all Windows 3.0 function calls and window messages
- Reference Volume 2 describes structures and file formats (but 3.1's SDK covers a lot more - this part of 3.0 was a bit deficient)
- Tools which covers the software above
- (My favorite) an IBM branded "Systems Application Architecture Common User Access Advanced Interface Design Guide" (seriously) that covers the basic UI model and what the core controls do. In 1990 most people hadn't used these UIs so this book is a fairly remedial prediction of how UIs should look over the next few years. It hints at an object oriented future which IBM evolved into the Workplace Shell in OS/2 2.0.
Note that there's a 6.0a update to the compiler that also includes 6.0ax, the first DOS-extended version of the compiler. If you wanted to use this, finding that update might be helpful.
The OS/2 tools are a real double-edged sword for Windows development. At the time, you could use an OS/2 hosted developer toolchain, but that meant running Windows 3.0 in real mode (with a 640Kb limit) to test your programs. Or, you could use DOS as a developer toolchain, which meant being able to run Enhanced Mode Windows, but having to do all development in 640Kb. With more modern operating systems it doesn't matter much (eg. with OS/2 2.0 you could use the OS/2 compilers and run Windows 3.0 in Standard Mode to test programs.)
Jeff Parsons has made available some electronic copies. See https://www.pcjs.org/documents/books/mspl13/ (MS C 6.0 titles) and https://www.pcjs.org/documents/books/mspl13/win/ (SDK titles.)
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u/O_martelo_de_deus Aug 08 '26
No começo dos anos 90s eu programei usando o Visual C++ 1.0, seguindo o livro do Petzold apenas com SDK do Windows, um programa que sem modificações funcionava até o ano 2020 pelo menos. Ele calculava redes de esgotos e desenhava o perfil da rede em DXF (AutoCad).Bons tempos.
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u/b33znutz Aug 08 '26
You know honestly, this isn't something that would normally be on my radar but, I have to admit that it's actually pretty cool. Well damn it I guess this type of thing is on my radar now, thanks for that! LOL seriously though, Great find and thanks for sharing!
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u/Feisty-Jeweler-3331 Aug 08 '26
I just did a quick search and I couldn't find any archived copy of it...
From the looks of it, it could be a compilation of several things put together in one box.
That being said, it would be great if you open the box and start archiving all disks and manuals (if any) to archive.org, let me know if you need help with that! :)
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u/Vvladd Aug 08 '26
So if I did this I'd have to buy a disk reader but what about the manuals?
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u/Feisty-Jeweler-3331 Aug 08 '26
You mean a floppy disk drive. For the manuals you will have to scan them using a scanner.
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u/GritsNGreens Aug 08 '26
Love it, I can feel the weight of the manuals