DLL Hell: What's Wrong with Windows


* Windows is built up of interdependent software pieces called DLLs*
* During installations one vendor's DLLs may replace another's -> BAD!
* Worst offenders: Intuit (Quicken), Microsoft, games vendors.
* Better vendors: most popular freeware and shareware.

DLL: Dynamic Linked Library. Macintosh computers don't have this problem.
See also: GameCenter DLL Hell, Livingstone's 4 part series in InfoWorld: 1, 2, 3, 4
and his more recent articles: Windows 98 solution ... and new ways to avoid DLL hell

John Faughnan & Bob Elson Last Revised: 01 Feb 2002. Glossary