That's not a real SDK...
Limiting the distribution possibilities makes it somewhat of a *closed* structure,
with a major advantage to microsoft-based developements.

but hey - That's what MS is doing for a while, no?

making it harder for non-Ms devs to access MS search api, messenger sdk or virtual-earth sdk shouldn't be a huge surprise...

The MSN Search API is SOAP which is an OPEN STANDARD that any developer worth being paid should be able to use in ANY language. Just because MS didn't provide sample code in every language available the first day it is out doesn't mean it can't be used by Java, PHP, ASP, ASP.NET, AJAX, C++, or whatever language you want. Do you want them to write your apps for you?

The Virtual Earth API is Javascript and web services. Open standards than anyone can implement.

I honestly don't know much about the Messenger API but I would guess you would have to use Windows and C++ to access it, but it is a Windows app so that should be expected.

Someone is already using the API in PHP.

http://www.quodlibet.be/msnapi.php

Their source code is also available.

thanks for the post & link kriskdf

I think my friend was just used to seeing the examples in other languages. Given MicroSoft's history, he probably just thought it was a wee bit insulting that they did not give any sample code in the most common languages.

Good to know others are already developing the stuff though :)

Yeah that's exactly what I'm used to. Kudos to MS for using an open standard, but the fact that they didn't take ten minutes to add Java and PHP to the example code is just absurd IMHO. Maybe I over-reacted a litt.e...but hey...that's what I do...:)

Aww cmon. Neither Google nor Yahoo have Visual Basic.Net examples either. (Although they do have C#).