I'm just back from Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, where the star of the show was the latest update to the Silverlight browser plug-in that lets you run .NET applications cross-platform and within the browser. The pace of development is remarkable. It is only 9 months ago that we were first shown the beta of Silverlight 3, at the Mix conference in March. Silverlight 3 was fully released in July; and now we have version 4.0 beta, with release promised for the first half of 2010.
It is a big release too. Many of the top Silverlight feature requests are being implemented, including printing, right-click and mouse wheel support, a rich text control with editing, clipboard support (though text-only in the beta), drag-and-drop, interaction with Webcams and microphones, multitouch control, improved just-in-time compilation for faster performance, and improved databinding for business applications.
In addition, the forthcoming Visual Studio 2010 is the first to have the kind of Silverlight development tools you would expect, with a true visual design surface and drag-and-drop data binding. On the server, WCF (Windows Communication Foundation) RIA Services simplify the effort of authentication, talking to data, and integrating with ASP.NET.
Another notable feature is the ability to run a Silverlight application out of the browser, started from a desktop shortcut and displayed in a custom window. New in version 4.0 is an HTML control, which embeds IE on Windows and WebKit (used in Safari) on the Mac. These are desktop/web application hybrids. Silverlight 4 blurs the boundaries, by adding a new trusted mode. Subject to the user passing a security dialog, a trusted out-of-browser application gets local file access to user data, cross-domain network access, and on Windows native code interop through COM automation.
The snag with this last point is that any Silverlight application which uses COM automation will only run on Windows, breaking the cross-platform compatibility which is a key reason to use Silverlight in the first place. Although Microsoft says the feature has been put in simply to meet the requirements of a few Enterprise customers, it seems to me that it goes well beyond that, making Silverlight viable in many scenarios that previously would have required a native solution.
Microsoft's ideal scenario is one where applications run everywhere, but run best on Windows, preserving its desktop lock-in. The company calls this "lighting up the platform"; but Windows is somehow the only platform that gets lit up.
I still think it is time to learn Silverlight. The reason is not only Microsoft's signposting of this as its key technology for future client development, but something else I saw last week: Google's Chrome OS. I'll be writing more about this; but I was impressed by how this forthcoming browser-based operating system promises to solve long-standing problems: cheap, lightweight computers that are secure, that start up instantly, that give us access to all our data, but can be left in the back of a taxi without compromising our secrets.
What if Chrome OS catches on? Does Microsoft become irrelevant? The real world does not move that fast; but considering the continuing popularity of the Mac along with the prospect of Chrome OS, it strikes me as brave to presume a Windows-only client for future development. Silverlight on the other hand should run in Chrome OS, either using Mono's Moonlight, or the Intel port being done for Moblin, or perhaps Microsoft itself will have to dirty its hands with Linux. Google might block Silverlight - it was non-committal on the subject at the Chrome OS press briefing - but I'm guessing that concerns over appearing excessively controlling will trump the desire to shut out a competitor.
The point here is not that Silverlight is the answer for all client development; there are plenty of other strong choices. The point rather is that for Microsoft platform developers Silverlight is the technology that makes it possible to take your C# or VB.Net skills and transition them to a new cross-platform, web-oriented world.
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Your first line should have said, "I just got back from Microsoft's Professional Developers Conference in Los Angeles, where Microsoft told me what to think. Your question as to whether Microsoft becomes irrelevant has already been answered because Microsoft has been irrelevant on the web for a few years now. Uninterested in web standards, despite what Microsoft tells you to think, ChromeOS, Firefox and Apple will dominate the mobile web which is where the market already is. These companies have no interest in Silverlight or other Microsoft technologies yet Microsoft insists on standing alone. That island is eroding away and can be seen in the huge loss of market share by Internet Explorer.
Microsoft does not matter anymore and they are far behind everyone else on the modern web. Silverlight is little used relative to anything else and developers notice. Developing using Microsoft products which only run on Microsoft's products makes no sense and claiming Mono solves that problem shows a complete lack of understanding and naivette of the non-Windows world.
I do not trust Silverlight, because I do not trust Microsoft. The day will come when Microsoft will make it Windows-only. Silverlight is, fundamentally, a way to undermine the open web and foster a dependency on Windows. It's also happens to be a Flash replacement. It might even be better than Flash, but it simply cannot be trusted, so I do not install it.
Silverlight like Flash certainly have their niche, but they certainly aren't fit for the task Adobe and MS markets them.
And about the cross-platformness: Silverlight linux support is a 3rd class citizen and mobile support is 100x worst than Flash.
Using DHTML is still the most ubiquitous, cross-platform and best supported solution. Flex/Silverlight/JavaFX/etc should be used only as a last alternative for when DHTML isn't enough.
Errm, thanks Rob. I've been criticised elsewhere for being too negative about PDC so I guess that makes me balanced? Thanks for the comment anyway.
I agree about Mono by the way - see http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1975-com-automation-in-silverlight-4-is-not-an-edge-case.html
Tim
Very good post, but I personally can't see Silverlight as a Flash-replacement! Flash is widely used now and is a mature product compared to Silverlight. Furthermore flash is constantly being improved. That said, I've heard from other industry professionals that Silverlight has the capability to outshine Flash for a certain class of CPU-intensive web applications... Will need to try and see by myself.
I guess there's a significant portion of the developer community that don't want to live in reality (including most of the comment posters).
The fact is that ChromeOS will always be irrelevant. Just think about it for a nanosecond. It's just a Ubuntu desktop with a browser skinned over it. Does anybody in their right mind think that taking away functionality from a desktop OS that is still stuck at around 1% or so is going to fly in any substantial way?
Microsoft does not matter anymore and they are far behind everyone else on the modern web.
Rob, maybe in that parallel universe you live in, but not here in the real world. I'm guessing in that parallel universe you live in, Microsoft doesn't control 90-95% of the desktop market?
I guess I'll never understand why people like Rob live in denial.
Very good post ! I understand Rick's views on the subject but i cant see Silverlight that bad. I came across another good post that discusses perfomance issues on Silverlight together with implentation cost issues. According to 'Ian Alexander Burt' we can build very rich U.I and enhance usability with lots of the SL features and in very reasonable costs. I think the war is not over yet..
If you fancy a read:
http://www.silverlightshow.net/items/Ian-Burt-on-performance-issues-with-RIA-services-and-a-bit-more.aspx