Comments on: Microsoft to announce Silverlight 2.0 on Monday

The software maker plans to announce the completion of Silverlight 2.0 on Monday, according to a source familiar with the matter.

[Mr. Dee]

More to say...hmm

Silverlight 3.0, Windows 7, Office 14, PDC 2008, Windows Strata, Web 2.0 Applications?

[YankeePoodle]

Silverlight is amazing. I am impressed with the direction microsoft is taking, they have built a whole-some platform with .net and silverlight will only enhance the shine of the platform.

[Seaspray0]

So what this is, is an announcement of microsoft's intended announcement?

[ppgreat]

"Stop, don't pay any attention to the Apple event on Tuesday. Listen to us on Monday! Look at me!! Look at me!!"

[JuggerNaut]

Ah yes, Microsoft's Silverlight; the barely dual platform (Windows and sometimes Mac) compatible knockoff of Adobe's Flash.

Silverlight = proprietary poison for the web that leads back to the padlock that is Windows!

[timber2005]

Maybe thats what they have up their sleeve? They were waiting for 2.0 before going cross platform.

[catch23]

If you think Silverlight is a knockoff of Flash, you have just proven that you have no idea what you are talking about.
Stop embarrassing yourself. Learn to read up a bit before opening your mouth.
It does wonders.

[joetesta70]

Mac is like 3% of the market....it will always get software, content etc. last. That's just business 101

[ServedUp]

Couldn't they announce something more exciting. Its just a freaking upgrade! I can totally see why some Apple fans would think its an attempt to steal limelight away from Apple's upcoming announcement.
Its so obvious. Its exactly how the "PC Guy" in the Apple Ads would act. Haha

[Vegaman_Dan]

Hate to burst your bubble, but all Apple is announcing is upgrades to their laptops.

Your comments fall flat.

[rnaoncfixd]

@ Vegaman_Dan:

Well, there's a difference between a software update and a hardware refresh. Rumor has it that those new macbooks may come out with new processors, video cards, etc. Much bigger news than a next version of a program... at least in my opinion.

[Jack K1]

We won't be able to hear a word on Monday due to the overwhelming volume of an hysterical stock market.

[Jeff Putz]

Aside from the noise from Flash fanboys, I don't think there's a lot of reason for most consumers to care. This is an exciting announcement for .Net developers though, because it finally gives us a rich client platform that uses familiar tools. In a lot of ways, I hesitate to call it a competitor to Flash, because it was created for different reasons and with different goals in mind. Flash began as an animation tool, with UI and code coming later, while Silverlight is a UI and code platform that happens to do some animation. I think that distinction is important when you look at how it's used.

[Ilgaz]

Noise from Flash fanboys? I could be a flash fanboy since it runs in my Symbian OS phone, Mac PPC, Linux and FreeBSD.
What about professionals from PR companies infesting comments whenever they approach Silverlight keyword? Don't make me talk.
Also CNET: Do you see anyone actually being exciting about it? Multi billion media giant CBS bought you, you don't need MS anymore. Do you think your hits sinking because the old design was bad? Start to read content of your site. Front page is worse than MS presspass. At least MS presspass doesn't claim to be a tech news site.

[AJ Pants]

'Too little too late' should become the official MS motto.

[pablouk1]

Who really give a rats arse, so what if microdummies are releasing an update to something that less that 1% of the worlds population uses or knows what it is.

[Seaspray0]

because it's more popular than the .0000000001% of the world asking "who really give a rats arse..."

[Ilgaz]

I can't really care since they don't support my Mac (G5 Quad PPC). I am more interested in Flash 10 which is Quad Core enabled and has massive GPU acceleration.

[timber2005]

Which kinda screams "FLASH IS BLOATED" maybe?
GPU acceleration, ok. Multi-proc support? To show advertisements and small games?
Flash should never need the power required to play a game like Quake, etc.

[3rdalbum]

Flash: Runs fully on PPC and Intel Macintoshes, Windows, Linux and FreeBSD, and embedded platforms such as STBs, Nintendo Wii, and handhelds.

Silverlight: Runs fully on Windows, and some features run on Intel Macs.

Any web designer/developer who decides to write their brand-new web application with Silverlight should be sent back to university to take the "Web Development 101" course. Specifically, to see the big letters in the textbook that say "Design your web project so it can be viewed by the maximum number of people!".

[bartszyszka]

This post is one sentence stretched out into 5 thin paragraphs. Microsoft has an announcement on Monday about Silverlight, Microsoft has an announcement at 9pm, Microsoft will be discussing Silverlight, we'll tell you on Monday what Microsoft's announcement is.

[The_Decider]

Wow, an upgrade to a lock in tool.

How about MS create something that doesn't lock in its customers?

[jimwhite467]

I have programmed with Silverlight and it is truly amazing. You have the full power of the .NET framework. Calling it a competitor to flash is insulting. Flash doesn't even come close. Silverlight was created for a different purpose. Microsoft rules 99% of the enterprise market. That's where the money is (except for a few successful .com's). Silverlight will be used for compelling business apps, giving the browser-based apps the power of the desktop. Significantly better than Ajax. The adoption of .NET within the enterprise is growing steadily. If you want to make money developing software, I encourage you to go with .NET.

[The_Decider]

@ the comment that maybe the announcement will be that they are going to support multiple platforms.


Never.

Silverlight is merely an attempt to keep people locked into users. Although there are two serious problems with that:

1. The world is increasingly moving to other platforms
2. Developers would be insane to lock themselves into the single platform Silverlight(Moonlight doesn't count because they will always be behind the curve). Even with MS pushing it across Windows Update, the number of machines that have it installed will be relatively low.

What MS still doesn't get after all these years of failure online is that the internet and web is platform agnostic. That is by design and the main reason it is so great.

[ranpha]

Considering that Flash which is Silverlight main competitor suck poorly in Linux, your point does not really hit home. Swfdec and gnash will always be behind the curve like Moonlight, so basically Flash is Windows and Mac only.

[ppgreat]

"If you want to make money developing software, I encourage you to go with .NET."

What building in Redmond are you typing from? If you're not looking to expand your development abilities beyond .NET, you're going to be for a world of hurt within 3 years.

[bartczernicki]

LOL at some of these comments!!!

Microsoft just announced at their SharePoint conference Software and Service integration where you can build Silverlight web parts inside SharePoint 2007 and leverage lists/workflows and other SharePoint features. Silverlight also integrates with Microsoft's WCF and WF enterprise SOA and workflow APIs and designer tools. At the PDC 2008 in a couple weeks they will be announcing their cloud computing initiative with search/semantic web features. There is also a private beta for Silverlight 2 on Windows Mobile and other things that are NDA'd

Can anyone of the Adobe fanboys tell me where exactly Adobe will be taking their product next? Past their integration with Illustrator/PhotoShop?

The products are GOING IN SEPERATE DIRECTIONS. Does anyone get that? Adobe has the market share, experience with RIA (Flash/Flex/SVG/AIR), has the first class tools and Flash 10 biggest thing is graphics/3D/hardware acceleration. There is NO DOUBT in my mind that you wil be able to create very immersive and beautiful applications with Flash/Flex.

Microsoft doesn't aim to compete in that space. Silverlight is going to be the RIA for data/business applications/search/enterprise. If MIcrosoft continues to integrate Silverlight with SharePoint, SQL Server Reporting Services, Live Search, WCF/WF, .NET, ASP.NET and Visual Studio. Flash/Flex DOESN'T HAVE TRUE MULTITHREADING...google Flash and mulithreading and MY silverlight blog comes up in the first page LOL (I have talked to several Flash experts and you can simulate mulithreading now but its complete hacks). Oh by the way just like Apple...Microsoft also owns a mobile technology. This and many more reasons is why Silverlight is completely going in a different direction.

Are you seriously going to tell me with a straight face that Adobe can compete with Microsoft on the business/enterprise end??? Oh by the way Microsoft also has a large investment in Facebook. What do you think the preferred RIA technology on Facebook will be in the coming months? :)

There are massive differences between the two technologies. Adobe will have its spot and SIlverlight will have theirs. If I am creating an application targeting a wide audience and it is not heavily based on data...I would use Flash. If I am creating any business application or app that requires MS integration or is moving data arond...Silverlight is a no brainer here.

Bart Czernicki

[jimwhite467]

Bart, I completely agree. What those who criticize Microsoft don't appear to understand is Microsoft's strategy in the enterprise space. It is pretty comprehensive as you have listed. Like all companies, they have their share of mis-steps. I am happy that the competition is clueless. Not understanding your enemy is your first step to defeat. Microsoft's demise has been predicted for 10 years. I hope someone would tell me exactly when it will happen. I need to put it in my calendar!

[Imalittleteapot]

Using the right tool for the job? That's silly talk. Who would suggest such a thing?

I only get mad when MS's products suck. I hope Silverlight 2.0 really is the best thing since sliced bread. Why? Because if it's a Flash killer then that means Adobe will have to compete or die. Which means either Flash gets better or gets replaced by something better. That means Microsoft has to compete back and so Silverlight has to get better and back and forth.

It's sort of like Opera/Firefox was the best thing that ever happened to IE. Before there was no compeition and stagnation. Then there was compeitiion and very shortly came security and the standards war and tabs and pop-up blockers and anti-phsing features and now the big thing is privacy mode. FF, IE, Opera, and Chrome all competeing for the best privacy mode right now. Who knows what's next? Without compeition nothing changes. So, I hope SL 2.0 kicks the crap out of Flash.

[softwarepro]

yeah upgrade from 1.0 to 2.0 is not announcement but new release and you don't create some kind of hype for upgrade. It is like look.. we got new version because previous was so bad that we have to say 2.0 is like NEW PRODUCT.

After 12 months they will come up with new name for 3.0...whatever..

Adobe Flex 3 was release this year and next year it will be Flex 4 should they hold press conference..man other platforms are much better for RIA and yes they work on most of the platform not ONLY WINDOWS.

BTW: I develop everything on windows but final product works on all platform.

[magicmaster]

The reason behind my opposition to silverlight is dued to its intrusive pop-up on MS website asking me to install it. I don't mind a banner or small graphic ads about silverlight, but pop-up disgusted me. Stay away from my sight!