Questions for Microsoft at the PDC - Part I

Yep, goin' to this one. Haven't been for a while, perhaps they missed me?

Q1. Internet Explorer 7 seems to have introduced a new format for Internet shortcut (.url) files - why? Or more pertinently, why are old files not supported and in particular the IconFile parameter? The ability to write .url files as a simple text file without having to get into silly API calls is useful and described in many, many places on the web.

Q2. Any chance that the Vista fix for layered windows (WS_EX_LAYERED extended style) disappearing when the user chooses Start Menu -> Turn off and the prompt is displayed being back ported to XP? There are a number of widget makers out there, e.g. Konfabulator and the soon to be released Zeepe with a loverly look, that are negatively affected by this.

More as I think of them....

(BTW -  Beta 1 of Vista is not doing any favours to the look of 'legacy' applications - the system rebars/toolbars in Beta look aweful).