WINDSHIELD CRACKED INFLT. NON-STRUCTURAL SO FLT CONTINUED NORMALLY.

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90 MINS INTO FLT AT CRUISE ALT OF FL290; A WINDOW HEAT FAILURE (SHORT CIRCUIT) CAUSED THE FO'S FORWARD WINDSHIELD OUTER PANE TO CRACK. WE REQUESTED FROM ZDV AND RECEIVED A CLRNC TO DSND TO FL200 AND TO SLOW FROM 300 KIAS TO 250 KIAS WHILE WE ASSESSED THE EXTENT OF THE PROB AND COMPLETED ALL NECESSARY EMER CHKLISTS. WE DETERMINED THAT IT WAS; IN FACT; THE OUTER PANE (NON-STRUCTURAL) THAT WAS CRACKED AND THAT THERE WERE NO RESTRICTIONS TO FORWARD VISIBILITY. THE CAPT SUBSEQUENTLY DISCUSSED THE SIT WITH COMPANY ENGINEERING DEPT ON COMMERCIAL RADIO FREQ. I WAS NOT PRIVY TO THIS CONVERSATION AS I WAS MOMENTARILY FLYING THE AIRPLANE AND MONITORING ATC FREQ. UPON COMPLETION OF HIS CONVERSATION WITH THE MAINT ENGINEERING DEP; HE STATED THAT ALL AGREED WE SHOULD CONTINUE TO THE DEST. HE ALSO STATED THAT THERE HAD BEEN SOME CONFUSION ABOUT THE FORWARD VISIBILITY STATE OF THE WINDSHIELD. AS I STATED EARLIER THE CAPT AND I BOTH CONCURRED THAT THERE WAS NO RESTRICTION TO FORWARD VISIBILITY. WE LANDED UNEVENTFULLY AND NO FURTHER PROBS AROSE.