Slashdot Mirror

← Back to Stories (view on slashdot.org)

Microsoft Woos Developers Under the Silverlight

Posted by ScuttleMonkey on from the go-on-start-wooing dept.

CWmike writes to tell us that with the impending release of their Silverlight 2.0 product, Microsoft is poised to enact the next phase of their plan, wooing developers and designers directly. Microsoft is funding a French open-source project designed to allow programmers to utilize the Eclipse framework to build Silverlight apps. "Microsoft is also releasing for free a set of programming templates called the Silverlight Control Pack under its Microsoft Permissive License, as well as the technical specification for Silverlight's Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) vocabulary via Microsoft's Open Specification Promise. The latter, said Goldfarb, should make it easier for would-be Silverlight developers."

10 of 300 comments (clear)

  1. An Even Shorter Summary by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Funny

    The important parts of the summary:

    Microsoft ... Developers ... ... developers ... ... developers.

    1. Re:An Even Shorter Summary by Captain+Spam · · Score: 5, Funny

      Ballmer: "Have you ever danced with the devil in the pale Silverlight?"

      --
      Demanding constant attention will only lead to attention.
  2. While I don't like Flash. by LWATCDR · · Score: 5, Insightful

    Flash is multi platfrom and there is GASH as an option.
    I also trust Adobe to be OS neutral a lot more than Microsoft.
    99% of our your users already have Flash so why make them download and install Silverlight.

    --
    See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
    1. Re:While I don't like Flash. by TheRealMindChild · · Score: 5, Insightful

      You do realize that is the same twisted logic that caused a lot of the internet to be IE only?

      99% of our your users already have IE so why make this work with Mozilla

      Same trap. Just a different beast.

      --

      "When life gives you lemons, don't make lemonade. Make life take the lemons back!" -- Cave Johnson
  3. So, does this mean by afidel · · Score: 5, Insightful

    We can expect an open source Silverlight viewer? If so and MS has agreed not to enforce any patents on the technology then I see little reason for it to not overtake flash. Flash sucks, a lot. The sooner we have another cross platform app for doing online animations and movies the better.

    --
    There are 4 boxes to use in the defense of liberty: soap, ballot, jury, ammo. Use in that order. Starting now.
    1. Re:So, does this mean by LWATCDR · · Score: 5, Informative

      It is called Moonlight. http://www.mono-project.com/Moonlight

      But I am not all that comfortable with it. I think that Microsoft has done enough that I just can not trust them with any "standards" any longer.

      --
      See my blog http://ilovecookes.blogspot.com/ for light hearted technical information.
  4. Sluts by orsocio · · Score: 5, Funny

    "...under its Microsoft Permissive License..."

    love the way Microsoft kinda imply that open source is so slutty...

  5. Ugh, I tire of this... by TheNecromancer · · Score: 5, Interesting

    I am so sick of reading these tech articles with an anti-MS bias to them.

    As a developer, isn't the point to write better/more robust code?? Silverlight is a tool that Microsoft is designing so that developers can take better advantage of the rich Internet experience. It steams me that the author of that article seems bent on pointing out that MS has this "ultimate plan" to kill Adobe.

    Why can't people get past the whole pro vs. anti-Microsoft thing? I may be ranting here (apologies in advance), but railing on MS for their past business practices (which I don't condone, BTW) is pointless. I tend to use the best tools available for the technologies that I code for, and Microsoft has some good ones! Sure, they are proprietary, but it could be any large corporation in MS's place, and people would rail on them for being the "big, bad corporation"! Open source has its' place in the industry, as does proprietary software!

    Let's get past the hate, and just stick to what we (developers) do best: write awesome code!! I get stoked when I hear of new technologies coming out (from MS or Sun, or whomever), since that means the online experience users want is getting better, and WE are the ones who give it to the masses!!

    W00t to new technologies!!

    --
    Attention all planets of the Solar Federation! We have assumed control! - Neil Peart
    1. Re:Ugh, I tire of this... by Microlith · · Score: 5, Insightful

      Silverlight is a tool that Microsoft is designing so that developers can take better advantage of the rich Internet experience.

      Sounds like marketing drivel to me.

      Why can't people get past the whole pro vs. anti-Microsoft thing?

      While financials are right in stating that past performance does not guarantee future performance, microsoft does not get the benefit of the doubt. They have (and continue to, albeit subtly) acted maliciously towards their competitors for a long time, and will spread FUD whenever they can to drive users to the "platform of choice*", namely Windows and Windows-derivatives.

      Not to say that Microsoft hasn't come up with some good things. The problem is that adopting these good things puts you right where Microsoft wants you: following them lockstep, but never quite able to catch up.

      That said, your post reeks of cheerleader. Wake me up when Mono catches up to .NET 3.0 (I think they just got 1.0 WinForms support and are nearing 2.0 compatibility?)

  6. Lovely rant, but I have to know one thing by Weaselmancer · · Score: 5, Funny

    How the hell did you get all that in there fast enough to be the top page post? I just picture someone foaming at the mouth and typing so fast hummingbirds are frightened.

    I have my problems with Microsoft too, but damn. Go outside. Walk a park. Read a book. You don't need an ulcer at your age.

    --
    Weaselmancer
    rediculous.