Microsoft's Silverlight Now Ready
Multi-Platform Web Technology Set to Rival Adobe Flash
Microsoft's Silverlight internet technology is now ready for mainstream use and was recently announced by the company's chief software architect Ray Ozzie.
Microsoft have just released their new multi-platform web technology, named ‘Silverlight’.
Microsoft Silverlight is a web technology similar, but more unique, to the Adobe Flash format, and is designed for delivering cross-browser and cross-platform rich content and interactive web applications.
Silverlight is based on Microsoft’s .NET framework.
Critics and enthusiasts have called this new technology the “Flash Killer”, as Microsoft are putting Silverlight into direct competition with Adobe’s Flash platform, which has been dominant for the past few years and Flash is used on many popular websites, such as YouTube.
Silverlight is also going into competition with new platforms from Sun Microsystems, who have released the new JavaFX platform, and also into competition with many open-source alternatives.
There is now even more demand for new services and web applications to be created as we enter the Web 2.0 era even deeper.
Until now, most web applications are powered by Adobe’s Flash format, along with dynamic web languages, such as Microsoft’s ASP.net and PHP. Silverlight is offering a unique alternative to these platforms, which in return will provide end-users with a better internet experience.
Recently Microsoft has been pushing hard in the Web 2.0 area, with new services being rolled out every few weeks, under the new ‘Windows Live’ brand, which integrates web services into the Windows platform, especially on the new Windows Vista.
To function correctly, Silverlight, as well as Adobe’s Flash product, require a small free browser plug-in which allows the users internet browser to render and display the content.
Currently, the free plug-in is available for the Windows platform, as well as Apple’s Macintosh system. Several browsers are supported on both platforms, however, as of yet, no support for the Linux operating system has been included.
Microsoft has been doing well recently on the stock market after launching several other major products, including a new version of their best-selling product, the ‘Windows’ operating system. Also this year, Microsoft released a new version of their widely used office system, Office 2007.
It appears that buyers are trending towards buying computers that are pre-loaded with Vista, rather than buying an upgrade disc and upgrading their previous system.
MySpace, the social networking website, is a loyal Microsoft user, and it is expected that they might be one of the first websites to make use of the Silverlight technology. They currently host their videos and interactive content in Adobe’s Flash format.
Microsoft’s Silverlight technology was announced by Ray Ozzie, Chief Software Architect at Microsoft Corporation.
