4 ms·

I think the main issue with documentation for Microsoft products/APIs is that the content is spread out on a large number of different Microsoft domains which m

by koyote 10y ago

I think the main issue with documentation for Microsoft products/APIs is that the content is spread out on a large number of different Microsoft domains which makes it inherently difficult to find something. I have also often found (after using google to find the relevant article) that the content is either out of date or not relevant anymore. Adding yet another site to the list of sites which might or might not have up-to-date content is not going to fix that issue. What they need is a central, properly searchable and well-maintained repository that spans all of their products.

pionar 10y ago
Depending on what you're looking for, there's usually only two you need: MSDN[0] and TechNet[1]. [0] https://msdn.microsoft.com/library https://msdn.microsoft.com/library [1] https://technet.microsoft.com/library/default.aspx https://technet.microsoft.com/library/default.aspx
- runako 10y ago
  You confirm the problem in your response: "usually" "only two" That means that Google.com is still needed as the front-end to MS documentation. Ergo, it doesn't matter how many domains they use to host their documentation.
  - mistermann 10y ago
    Not to mention search on MS sites essentially doesn't work (unless something has changed).
1wd 10y ago
Agree. Actually I'd already be happy if they stopped moving stuff around for no reason. I get "This object has moved" or worse "This object no longer exists" or just a redirect to some generic "Download Windows 10" page all the time on Microsoft documentation sites. :(
- danfernandez 10y ago
  [Disclosure: I work for the team that built docs.microsoft.com] Thanks, this is great feedback and something we totally agree and want to fix. We recently created a redirection service, which historically did not exist on MSDN/TechNet so that when content moves, we can properly 301 redirect content to the correct place. This will help for net new content that moves, but as you correctly point out, we still have a lot of work to do for existing content. Thanks again for the feedback!

by koyote 10y ago

pionar 10y ago

Depending on what you're looking for, there's usually only two you need: MSDN[0] and TechNet[1]. [0] https://msdn.microsoft.com/library https://msdn.microsoft.com/library [1] https://technet.microsoft.com/library/default.aspx https://technet.microsoft.com/library/default.aspx

runako 10y ago
You confirm the problem in your response: "usually" "only two" That means that Google.com is still needed as the front-end to MS documentation. Ergo, it doesn't matter how many domains they use to host their documentation.
- mistermann 10y ago
  Not to mention search on MS sites essentially doesn't work (unless something has changed).

1wd 10y ago

Agree. Actually I'd already be happy if they stopped moving stuff around for no reason. I get "This object has moved" or worse "This object no longer exists" or just a redirect to some generic "Download Windows 10" page all the time on Microsoft documentation sites. :(

danfernandez 10y ago
[Disclosure: I work for the team that built docs.microsoft.com] Thanks, this is great feedback and something we totally agree and want to fix. We recently created a redirection service, which historically did not exist on MSDN/TechNet so that when content moves, we can properly 301 redirect content to the correct place. This will help for net new content that moves, but as you correctly point out, we still have a lot of work to do for existing content. Thanks again for the feedback!