Windows Sockets 2 for Windows 95 Software Development Kit

Revised: June 10, 1997

Welcome to the final release of Microsoft® Windows Sockets for Windows® 95
SDK. Please refer to the license files before using this release and to the
release notes for important information on this release.

Viewing License Files and Release Notes
Before downloading the SDK, please read the License Agreement for Microsoft
Windows Sockets 2 for Windows 95 SDK and the SDK Release Notes.

Installing the Windows Sockets 2 for Windows® 95 SDK
While the SDK itself can be downloaded and expanded onto both Windows NT® and
Windows® 95, the Windows Sockets 2 runtime components contained therein will
only work on Windows® 95. For more details, please see the release notes.

Download the Windows Sockets 2 for Windows 95 SDK now to start developing your
next generation networking applications today!

What is Windows Sockets 2?
Windows Sockets 2 ("WinSock 2") provides advance capabilities for Internet
applications, including a quality of service interface for multimedia
applications, multipoint and multicast features, and protocol independence. 

The availability of Winsock 2 for Windows® 95 extends WinSock 2 capability to
all Microsoft® 32-bit Windows® operating systems. New key features of WinSock
2 include: 

Quality of Service - Provides an interface for applications to query and
request performance attributes such as bandwidth and latency from the
underlying network to create and optimize capabilities such as real-time media
communications. 
Multipoint and multicast features - Enables end user capabilities like
multiplayer games, conferencing, and distance learning. 
Backwards compatibility - Ensures that Windows Sockets 2-compliant systems
will have immediate compatibility with the hundreds of existing WinSock
applications that incorporate the current WinSock 1.1 specification. 
Protocol Independence - With WinSock 2 developers can create applications that
are independent of underlying networks, including traditional LAN stacks
(TCP/IP, IPX/SPX, OSI), ATM networks, wireless networks and telephony
networks. 
Layered Service Provider Architecture - Windows Sockets 2 includes provisions
for inserting layers between the WinSock 2 DLL and underlying protocol stacks.
A layered protocol could be used to implement security or proxy services,
provide access control, or extend the capabilities of an underlying base
protocol. 

This SDK contains all of the components necessary for software developers to
create data communications applications including redistributable executable
components necessary to upgrade legacy Windows® 95 systems to WinSock 2. Also
included are WinSock 2 service providers for the TCP/IP and IPX protocols from
Microsoft, as well as an updated version of the Microsoft® Windows 95 TCP/IP
protocol stack.

Knowledge Base Articles
For the latest information on Windows Sockets issues, search the Microsoft
Knowledge Base available at http://www.microsoft.com/win32devsupport. Select
the Knowledge Base tab. On Building a Query page, choose "Any Product" and
enter "Windows Sockets " or "WinSock" as a search phrase.

Support
For support for this product, please use the Microsoft support area at
http://www.microsoft.com/support/mtshome.htm. When searching, select "Windows
95" as the product and use the keywords "Windows Sockets " or "WinSock"
Further Instructions on using Microsoft Support are available at the same
page.