The most interesting aspect of Microsoft's Silverlight software is the included mini-CLR (Common Language Runtime). It supports multiple languages including scripting languages, is much faster than JavaScript (at running JavaScript even!), and is much easier to program than Apollo. I think that Silverlight has expanded the talent pool of people able to create rich internet applications to the legions of Microsoft .Net developers. Once these apps start pouring out, most people will endup having the plug-in installed on their machines.
Although Microsoft did not support Linux, they do support Firefox and the Macintosh, and the Mono folks have already said they will take care of the Linux version. I'm sure Microsoft is not complaining, they get Linux support without having to endorse Linux.
Perhaps I am a luddite, but I still prefer Google-style JavaScript than RIA applets for most applications. Media-intensive sites and sites with complex UI like
Yahoo! Pipes car manufacturer configurators greatly benefit from RIA, but RIA's are too cumbersome when filling in a form or adding a weather Widget to your homepage.
3 comments:
Mono? Ha... since Microsoft have now gone all Metallica on developers ("sue your fans") I don't think that can amount to much - not with Novell in a "death embrace". Things are not looking good for cross platform .Net, which is what worries me about Silverlight. However, at least its pushing the envelope a bit, and allowing lots of dynamic languages a chance to build a rich GUI.
JavaFX could be interesting if its 100% open source top to toe platform, and Sun can make the "consumer JRE" work, and applets not suck !
Adobe can do a wicked GUI, they are certainly the ones to watch and the incumbents.
Let the fight begin !
Pipes is all Javascript. No flash or anything else.
Sam - you're right, Pipes in JS, what a beautiful implementation, I had assumed it was Flash!!!
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