Silverlight from Microsoft

[mmemmer]

So what the hell is this and is it worth it? I feel like I am installing IE into my Firefox??:(

[Sexyteaser]

Here is the definition on the net...

Microsoft Silverlight is a browser (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_browser) plugin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plugin) that allows web applications (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_application) to be developed with features like animation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation), vector graphics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics), and audio-video playback (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia) - features that characterize a rich internet application (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_internet_application). Silverlight competes with products such as Adobe Flash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Flash), Adobe Shockwave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Shockwave), Java FX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_FX), and Apple QuickTime (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_QuickTime). Version 2.0 of Silverlight provides additional capabilities, including advanced interactivity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactivity) features. Significantly, version 2.0 allows developers to use .NET languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_languages) and development tools (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Development_Environment) when authoring Silverlight applications.
Silverlight was developed under the codename Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E). It is compatible with (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverlight#Compatibility) multiple web browser products used on Microsoft Windows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows) and Mac OS X (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X) operating systems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system). Support for the Linux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux) operating system by the third-party Moonlight (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_%28runtime%29) runtime is under development.

[gonzo]

sounds like silvertab jeans. stuffing a lot of fat into your browser instead of ass.

[EmporerEJ]

They've been trying to force feed this to me with my review package of the new expression suite.

I STILL don't understand exactly what it is, why I need it, and how it's gonna screw up my world.

Why can't we go back to the days of Visual Basic?

[Hell Puppy]

Here is the definition on the net...

Microsoft Silverlight is a browser (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_browser) plugin (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Plugin) that allows web applications (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Web_application) to be developed with features like animation (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Animation), vector graphics (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vector_graphics), and audio-video playback (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Multimedia) - features that characterize a rich internet application (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rich_internet_application). Silverlight competes with products such as Adobe Flash (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Flash), Adobe Shockwave (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adobe_Shockwave), Java FX (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Java_FX), and Apple QuickTime (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Apple_QuickTime). Version 2.0 of Silverlight provides additional capabilities, including advanced interactivity (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interactivity) features. Significantly, version 2.0 allows developers to use .NET languages (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_languages) and development tools (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Integrated_Development_Environment) when authoring Silverlight applications.
Silverlight was developed under the codename Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere (WPF/E). It is compatible with (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverlight#Compatibility) multiple web browser products used on Microsoft Windows (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Windows) and Mac OS X (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mac_OS_X) operating systems (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operating_system). Support for the Linux (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Linux) operating system by the third-party Moonlight (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moonlight_%28runtime%29) runtime is under development.


Should be some really fun security holes in that.

[pornlaw]

This is Microsoft's version of Flash that is meant to take Adobe down in that regard. If you try to stream Flash, the license is very expensive. According to my computer guys - the license for Silverlight is going to be free for developers and those that stream video.

I suspect like how IE killed Netscape, the same will happen with Silverlight and Flash.

Michael

http://www.adultbizlaw.com (http://www.adultbizlaw.com/)

[DannyCox]

I have the SDK for Silverlight and played around with it. It's mainly just a wrapper for WMV files where you can customize the look and feel of the player. The problem with it right now is that the user has to go and download it before any videos wrapped with it will play. It really doesn't do much at all but change the look.

There are plans to expand the capability of it, but so far, the development community isn't rushing to Microsoft's door to develop for it. I really think this will be just another Microsoft product that dies a quick death.

[EmporerEJ]

This is Microsoft's version of Flash that is meant to take Adobe down in that regard. If you try to stream Flash, the license is very expensive. According to my computer guys - the license for Silverlight is going to be free for developers and those that stream video.

I suspect like how IE killed Netscape, the same will happen with Silverlight and Flash.

Michael

http://www.adultbizlaw.com (http://www.adultbizlaw.com/)

See, now why couldn't microsoft just say that?
I thought it was along those lines...
Thanks Michael.

[EmporerEJ]

I have the SDK for Silverlight and played around with it. It's mainly just a wrapper for WMV files where you can customize the look and feel of the player. The problem with it right now is that the user has to go and download it before any videos wrapped with it will play. It really doesn't do much at all but change the look.

There are plans to expand the capability of it, but so far, the development community isn't rushing to Microsoft's door to develop for it. I really think this will be just another Microsoft product that dies a quick death.


Well, I'm confused. Windows media has had that capability for some time....

[DannyCox]

I was just being simplistic in my answer. You can add graphics, multiple videos, and even AJAX apps. But all in all, it just appears to be a poor man's Flash at the moment. I've done a few things with it, just to play around, but since so few people have the program installed, there is really no point in publishing anything yet.

I've had the SDK for it for months, and there hasn't been an update on it yet. Since September, in the developer's discussion forums, Microsoft has been talking about the next upgrade for the SDK coming in the next few weeks. They stopped saying that about 2 months ago and most people are wondering what's going on with it.

[EmporerEJ]

I was just being simplistic in my answer. You can add graphics, multiple videos, and even AJAX apps. But all in all, it just appears to be a poor man's Flash at the moment. I've done a few things with it, just to play around, but since so few people have the program installed, there is really no point in publishing anything yet.

I've had the SDK for it for months, and there hasn't been an update on it yet. Since September, in the developer's discussion forums, Microsoft has been talking about the next upgrade for the SDK coming in the next few weeks. They stopped saying that about 2 months ago and most people are wondering what's going on with it.

Yea, that about sounds like my experience as well.
wonder what they're up to?