Silverlight: Is It the Ultimate Web Site “Stickiness” Solution?
It is unlikely that Silverlight users will have steep learning curves because it employs XML and Javascript, two technologies that are widely used by programmers and web designers. Users do not need to fear that they might have to study new programming languages just to use Silverlight to be able to unlock its capabilities. It does introduce a new standard, though in the form of XAML or Extensible Application Mark-up Language. This is a type of XML document used to describe the user interface of an application. The entire solution relies on Java Scripting, probably the most popular scripting language in use today.
Combining these technologies really makes Silverlight very user-friendly. Imagine learning to take digital pictures when you already know film photography, which in essence is applying the same process and principles only using different tools. With Silverlight, collaboration between the Web designer and the Web developer becomes easier. For example, the Web designer can do the visuals and graphics using Microsoft Blend and Design and outputs can be made easily available to the Web developer using the Microsoft Visual Studio.
The manipulation of the XAML files can be done by both the designer and the developer to achieve the desired appearance and behavior of the application controls. Meanwhile, the extensive use of JavaScript codes will provide more design manipulation and application.
The gold in Silverlight
Microsoft lists several advantages Silverlight promises:
- A compelling cross-platform user experience Rich multimedia content and robust interactive applications (RIA) for the Web that incorporate video, animation, interactivity, along with the capability to create stunning graphic user interface
- Flexible programming model with collaboration tools The ability to give developers and web designers the choice of which programming language to use (AJAX, Visual Basic .NET, C#, Python, and Ruby) offers an impressive level of flexibility. They can employ SilverLight using their own existing skills. No more need to learn a new language
- High-quality media, low-cost delivery Designers and programmers can use unified media formats that can scale from high definition (HD) to mobile among them: Windows Media Video (WMV) and Microsoft’s implementation of the Society of Motion Picture and Television Engineers (SMPTE) VC-1 video standard. It also has support both Windows Media Audio (WMA) and MP3 audio
- Easily connected to data, servers, and services Create mash-ups by incorporating data and services from anywhere on the Web with Silverlight’s support for LINQ and LINQ-to-XML.
Seamless and fast installation thanks to a small, on-demand, easy-to-install plug-in that is just under 2 megabytes in size and integrates with all leading browsers
Beautiful vector-based graphics, media, text, animation, and overlays that can be easily integrated into any existing Web application
Expression Studio can be used to create interactive UIs and media rich experiences, it can also prepare media for encoding and distribution, as well as create World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) standards-compliant sites using modern XHTML, XML, XSLT, CSS, and Microsoft ASP.NET
The ability to provide flexible ad-insertion solutions with broadcast style video and animation that never loses visual fidelity or motion quality.
Access data with common protocols like JSON, RSS, POX, and REST
Rapidly scale Silverlight applications by using Silverlight Streaming by Windows Live
Silverlight’s growing support
Silverlight has one crucial ingredient that could ensure its success: support. Whereas, many of Microsoft’s software developer-partners did not get behind Microsoft Windows Media, these same people have voiced their intent to support Silverlight. Microsoft has already received the backing of developer-partners like Streamingmedia.com, Akamai, Pinnacle Systems, Rhozet, and Skinkers, among others. Support for Silverlight will more likely balloon as it enters the home stretch towards its release.
The Cost of Silverlight Streaming
Microsoft’s Silverlight is still in beta and hosting is currently free of charge. Up to four gigabytes of data and streaming is provided for free with a speed of up to 700 kilobit/s. The guys at Microsoft said that when the beta program ends developers can choose to enable Microsoft-sponsored advertising in the application for continued free use of the service. They can also elect to subscribe to a pay-for-use service that is free of advertisements. At this stage, no final pricing has been revealed for the ad-free version of Silverlight. But they have assured that the price, when it is revealed, will be very competitive. The advertising-based product, on the other hand, will continue to be free in perpetuity.
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