Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Flash, Meet Sparkle

Posted by CowboyNeal on from the anything-you-can-do dept.

Robert writes "Microsoft finally released more information about their Sparkle product on a Channel 9 MSDN video. Sparkle is vector based XAML system for doing applications that may have traditionaly been done in flash. Ars Technica's Josh Meier has a few things to say about it, too."

4 of 493 comments (clear)

  1. XAML? by ggvaidya · · Score: 4, Informative

    XAML.

    "the user interface markup language for Windows Vista, the next version of Microsoft Windows." ... "XAML is a declarative XML-based language optimized for describing graphically rich visual user interfaces, such as those created by Macromedia Flash" ... "This Microsoft Windows article is a stub. You can help Wikipedia by expanding it."

  2. Re:I'm disrespectful to dirt! by The+Hobo · · Score: 4, Informative

    Mr. Sparkle: Can you see I am serious?

    Firefox Users: If the WMV doesn't work, try going tools, options, downloads, and on the bottom right click plugins, uncheck wmv, and if you don't want pdfs opening in firefox (meaning download first THEN open, I prefer this method, always faster and more stable) then uncheck pdf and anything else you don't want opening in firefox

    --
    There is another kind of evil which we must fear most, and that is the indifference of good men. -- Boondock Saints
  3. and then convert it back to Flash by Jotham · · Score: 4, Informative

    And then you can use this tool to convert the web based C#/XAML app back to Flash. http://www.xamlon.com/

    Hopefully Macrobe will take this as a challenge and drop in some 3d support and copy a few other features into their next version.

    Main differences here is Flash is focused on the web - while you can output an .exe it has its limitations (disk access, etc -- which requires workarounds like embedding it inside another layer (ie. C# app) and passing messages back and forth).

    Sparkle is for Desktop apps - and you can output for the web (but will limit your potential audience)

  4. To Clear Up A Few Misconceptions by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Informative

    1) Sparkle is not a technology. Sparkle is the codename for an application. Get it right.

    2) The technology is Windows Presentation Foundation (formally codenamed Avalon).

    3) It is not a flash killer. It is true that you can host Avalon applications in a web browser, and they will interact with the back and forward buttons of a web browser. It is true that Microsoft is touting this as a high-end replacement for HTML (as far as I can tell).

    4) Although details are sketchy, Microsoft has announced a royalty free OPEN technology called Windows Presentation Foundation / Everywhere. This means that you can run these applications in ANY web browser on ANY platform.