It shouldn’t happen to Microsoft, but DAMN it seems that unloved company from Redmond has made the first GOOD thing for a long time. Today’s release of Silverlight 1.0 might be a real milestone, below I listed the biggest advantages of this really great project. Check this out:
- Silverlight is a cross-browser & cross-platform project (there’ll be available same thing called Moonlight for Linux users)
- it’s more open than Flash (for instance - you will be able to use open formats, so say hello to OGG Theora!) and surely we can say it leaves Adobe’s technology in the dust
- JavaScript run through Silverlight runs much faster than any browser’s built-in parser
- so even less advanced AJAX apps can be improved by usage of the Silverlight plugin
- apps powered by Silverlight can be as rich as their desktop counterparts (AJAX stuff working fine even on 32KBps dial-up, this is nice!)
- there’s support for AJAX, VB, C#, Python, and Ruby (hey programmers, is it possible to be in need of more?)
- an ability to write managed .NET code that runs right in the browser (sounds great doesn’t it?)
I am a declared hater of all Microsoft’s products but this time I must say I am very impressed. There’s a way to make the whole web better so get started with Silverlight by now, folks!
Update: As it turns out, being an MS hater is a reasonable point of view. I am going back on my words - when the choice is reduced to only 2 options: MS or Adobe - I’d choose Adobe Flash Player.
September 5th, 2007 #
It is best to start off thinking the worst about Microsoft products and gradually revising your viewpoint.
Silverlight is very interesting indeed. The site mentions that it is a plugin to deliver media via the browser. Doesn’t it just make the interface look prettier? Will there be a difference in speed?
Anyway, it isn’t Open Source. JavaFX is. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/JavaFX_Script
September 5th, 2007 #
Moonlight is an Open Source project. There’s still a lot of work to do and no date of a final release set yet. You can check the current status at official website of this project, seems they are doing well so hope they will get all the things done without any problems.
There must be a difference, I guess soon there will appear some tests & speed comparisons so we will be able to see how nice it is in numbers
September 6th, 2007 #
Microsoft making the web better… using open standards… Ill believe it when I see it.
ASP.NET still does not produce complient XHTML, though I believe they have bought a third party developed filter that corrects .NET code… but it was very much an after thought.
I would always look for true open apps before looking at any MS stuff….
September 6th, 2007 #
Partiallly open source is not good enough.
September 6th, 2007 #
Says it uses open standards, it will not be open source…
September 6th, 2007 #
Marc: Okay I agree but let’s say it’s much better than choosing a silent enigma option (open pit mining worked out by brave authors of Wine, I mean).
Jez: Maybe you don’t remember the thing but not long time ago there was a big trouble with Flash support for Linux, Also I think I’ve heard that owners of 64 bit CPUs still do have a problem with Adobe’s technology. This is one of the major reasons why I do enjoy the release Silverlight - Adobe sucked with Flash
September 6th, 2007 #
Very interesting find bart. Thid certainly seems very un-Microsoft. Maybe it doesn’t do what it says on the tin though - just like IE7.
September 6th, 2007 #
David: Just hope next events won’t be similar to their habitual doings, too.
September 11th, 2007 #
Hey Bart, I’m at an MTC (Microsoft Tech Center) this week for work and yesterday they gave a presentation about Silverlight. Gotta say, it looks pretty friggin’ awesome.
September 11th, 2007 #
Jon you’re the first one who totally agree, I’m gonna stick it in my mind haha
September 24th, 2007 #
I think the jury is still out on this one.
December 23rd, 2007 #
[...] not ok, at least not all products of Microsoft are doomed to failure! Well, maybe not - Silverlight looks pretty nice. But you see, I have a good memory. And clearly I remember what these guys were saying 14 months [...]