“Microsoft this week will reveal new technology to deliver rich media applications on the web, a new strand in its battle with Adobe,” Elizabeth Montalbano reports for Macworld UK.
“As described by Forest Key, a director of product management for Microsoft’s Server and Tools Division, Silverlight is a browser plug-in that allows web content providers to offer a rich video and interactive media experience from directly within websites. The technology, which leverages Vista’s new graphics framework, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF), will debut at the National Association of Broadcasters (NAB) conference,” Montalbano reports.
“Microsoft will also unveil web content providers who have signed up to use the technology once it is available, including Akamai, Brightcove, Eyeblaster, Major League Baseball and Netflix,” Montalbano reports. “Key said Microsoft is targeting three core audiences with Silverlight, formerly code-named WPF/E: content providers that want to distribute video and rich media over the web; designers and developers building rich interactive applications; and end users that want the best possible experience when viewing Web-based media.”
Montalbano reports, “The cross-platform Silverlight is compatible with a range of browsers, including Internet Explorer (IE), Safari and Firefox.”
Full article here.
Hmm…well at least it’s not Windows-only…
This is just what we need – a new Microsoft “standard”
Seems a little late in the game to try and dethrone Flash. It’s everywhere. Adobe tried to beat it and just ended up buying the company. It’s about as close to a standard that there is on the Web.
And… it’s Microsoft…that company…honestly they just suck. They don’t get it. But..wait and see I guess.
This is good news. Flash is an absolute CPU hog on Macs. This will put pressure on all parties involved to get their code optimized.
In other news, Microsoft is going to reinvent the wheel…
“Consumers are demanding a more innovative approach to rolling.” an unnamed source deep within the Redmond, WA based company quoted this morning. “We want our customers to have the best possible experience when using wheels, so we are developing wheels that leverage the round objects embedded in Vista, our world-class operating system.”
Only fools will trust MS and sign up to this. Everything this software does can be done already (and probably better) and does anyone remember Playsforsure? There’s plenty of people who jumped into bed with MS over that one who won’t forget it.
“Silverlight” has been announced only. It does not exist yet. First Beta, per Microsoft executives, in weeks from now, that is who knows when and if.
As far as Microsoft goes, and their record, Silverlight might simply be the approved name of a project having as goal to obliterate Flash. Will see when and if.
what is wrong with flash? why do they need to get to everything…
They had so many year to build windows media player.. they failed.. now they want to copy what another successful company is doing.
I wish the big brother fails on this.. silver light or platinum light
…is a browser plug-in that allows web content providers to offer a rich video and interactive media experience from directly within websites.
Hmm, this sounds slightly familiar, no? Good lord, what is with Microsoft’s obsession with owning/having complete control over EVERYthing computer related?
As a web designer (HTML and Flash) (by hobby, not trade), I seriously hope this “new technology” dies a brutal death.
Amazing. Rather than actually trying to innovate, M$ again go down the route of trying to get into someone else’s game. They’ll end up coming out crap as usual.
Is it really that difficult for them to come come up with something new considering all the resources they have at their disposal.
Peter J: “Seems a little late in the game to try and dethrone Flash. It’s everywhere. Adobe tried to beat it and just ended up buying the company. It’s about as close to a standard that there is on the Web.”
I hate Microsoft to the very core, but…
That having been said, I am not so sure that they can’t do serious damage to Adobe’s Flash market-share… All they have to do is integrate it in tightly with IE (and coupled with cross-platform support, which they are likely to pull the rug out from under later on), they can gain tremendous headway…
Can they make a profit at it? I don’t know? If you look at their SEC filings, look at the numbers in the channel, etc. it starts to become clear that their only source of actual profits is Office and Windows… Everything else is just a loss-leader.
Simply put, Microsoft’s core strength is in their ability to give stuff away… I really don’t think Microsoft has an innovative bone in it’s body (and no, I do NOT think that any of their engineers are unrecognized creative people who have been stiffled by the lack of vision of the management. I honestly believe that Microsoft engineers are indoctrinated into believing that “what is good for Microsoft’s profits is good for everyone” way of thinking. It’s those who leave that saw the light.
Anyhow.
One of the more annoying character traits of MS is that they seem to think they have some sort of sacred birthright to have a finger in every pie. To which I say, “Hey Microsoft, your standards suck ass. Kiss mine.”
Just Say No.
If Silverlight ever takes hold, the very first thing Mafiasoft will do is start crippling the Safari version in crafty ways that appear as if the coding goofs could have been accidental; the exact thing they did to QuickTime (and which a court forced them to fix). Mafiasoft also ensured that Windows’ supported fewer codecs on QuickTime than anyone else’s media container. At the time of that QuickTime/Windows stunt, when Mafiasoft announced the court-ordered bug-fix, they issued a press release announcing how they shouldn’t have had to “fix” another vendor’s software.
Mafiasoft did the same sort of B.S. with Vista, which broke iTunes. Apple called them like it saw them and announced that users should simply hold off on upgrading to Vista until M.S. fixes the problem. Mafiasoft squealed like a stuck pig. Bastards.
Keep wriggling, M$!
We know you see the Orifice and Winblows cash cows keeling over and dying, and we know you’re desperate to get the hell out of Dodge. But there’s nothing you can do about it, is there?
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IsIsSecure vs Apache, MSN vs Google, wmv vs every other media format ever, FailsForSure vs AAC, Failbox vs Sony and Nintendo, and let’s not forget Zune vs iPod. M$ cannot survive outside their mini-shitopolies.
“The cross-platform Silverlight is compatible with a range of browsers, including Internet Explorer (IE), Safari and Firefox.”
Seriously? Well, this marks a serious change in Microsoft’s attitude. It used to be the case that everything they did pointed back to Windows. If they came out with anything new, it was guaranteed to be Windows-only in order to reinforce their monopoly.
But I guess they’ve seen the writing on the wall. No Windows-only software is ever going to be a standard, not any more. And standards are more important than operating systems.
Meanwhile, Microsoft and AT&T are complaining that Google will have an unfair monopoly and should be investigated for possible anti-trust violations with its acquisition of DoubleClick.
I feel really bad for them, too.
I smell the vapors now.
The product Silverlight. like everything else Mafiasoft announces, none of us will ever see.
This thread is much ado about nothing.
Who in their right minds is going to move away from the open and mature Flash development environment to a M$ product that doesn’t even exist yet?
This is what happened when M$ tried to muscle in their own proprietary standard. They got their arse torn off and cost them a mint.
http://www.theregister.co.uk/2007/04/14/microsoft_vc-1_codec_analysis/
It probably has decided the HD DVD/blu ray fight….
Clearly this will be an Adobe-killer much like Microsoft Metro.
Could someone please explain this to me?
The technology[Silverlight], which leverages Vista’s new graphics framework, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF)…
If that’s the case, how could it ever work on Mac or Linux? Or even Windows XP for that matter?
If it were anyone but Microsoft – I’d be happy.
I hate the Flash application.
Silverlight is a good brand name, and has a good chance of doing battle with Flash. However there is just no trust that Microsoft will keep it running well on other platforms. So with that we have to say no.
I wonder how much Microsoft thinks it could make with Silverlight?
I bet Microsoft could make far more money by not releasing Silverlight if they accepted donations from everyone who didn’t want it released.
This really should be the new business model for Microsoft.
The could develop software just to the point of proving they could release it, and then demand $X from consumers and competitors. As long as $X is exceeded, they won’t release the dreadware.
GOD DAMNIT MS!!!!!
As if we need more stuff to choose between?!!
just like that “HD-Photo” thing.. “BUT WHY” is all I can say!
U can count on Micro$hit to do it right… oh and don’t forget how they will make everyone use their “new” standard:
By calling on the millions of morons that use anything Micro$hit…
…and the rest will be persuaded the Mafia business tactics…
Thank’s Billy a$$…
“Who in their right minds is going to move away from the open and mature Flash development environment to a M$ product that doesn’t even exist yet?”
Never underestimate the stupidity of man. It has proven to gain the upper hand over and over in history.
@macuser
“what is wrong with flash? why do they need to get to everything…”
The problem with flash is that it is not linked to windows. Anything that can be used on linux or mac is a threat and has to be subdued. How can MS have a windows monopoly if you don’t need windows to get the good stuff with your computer.
This is the exact same reason why microsoft is spending and spending on such failed products as the Xbox and WMA. If you use a playstation you don’t need windows. If you don’t use WMA you don’t need windows. If you don’t need IE you don’t need windows. And if you don’t use SilverLight, you don’t need windows. Ect, ad infinitum.
This is condemned to die, as ActiveX and the original MSN did.
Of course, it will be repacked and renamed, so people forget about the failure.
ActiveX was build to compete with Java. It failed miserably. They repacked it and today nobody remembers ActiveX for what it was.
The same with MSN. It was a whole parallel network, trying to compete with the Internet. In the end, it failed too and it became one more ISP.
Microsoft can’t win it all. In fact, they have their own failure history.
I can’t wait to read Daniel Eran’s take on this. I bet it will be amusing.
Not Windows only for now. Just wait, if this technology somehow catches on, they’ll kill the Mac version later.
Who the hell names this stuff over there? “Silverlight”?! What does that mean? It doesn’t even sound cool! Just call it “AssBacon” and be done with it already.
Except that Project AssBacon in on Ballmer’s secret innovations list.
He’s been gluing wings on thousands of pigs. Once he gets them airborne, the pigs will circle the planet dropping leaflets from above on the virtues of the innovative Aero interface.
Jimmy Dean will be a co-sponsor.
Danger Frog hit the nail right on the head. Any new “standard” Microsoft develops should ALWAYS be avoided like the plague. Is there anyone out there who doesn’t think Microsoft will cripple or kill Mac/Linux support if their format ends up getting adopted widely or taking over the market?
It was called MS Silverfish until one small voice in MS PR pointed out it might be implying that they would be infesting the public with millions of bugs. Been there . . .
More information on Silverlight:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Silverlight
http://msdn2.microsoft.com/en-us/asp.net/bb187358.aspx
http://forums.microsoft.com/MSDN/default.aspx?ForumGroupID=318&SiteID=1
Samples:
http://channel9.msdn.com/playground/wpfe/
(Keep your fiends close and your enemas closer.)
The technology, which leverages Vista’s new graphics framework…
…will work on a mac? Everybody I know is a windows user and none of them have any plans to ever go to vista. Their next computers will be Macintosh.
From a CNet article back in March 06: http://news.com.com/More+than+meets+the+eye+in+Microsoft+plan/2100-1012_3-6053893.html
“It’s interesting to hear that they’ll be ‘subsetting’ or ‘de-featuring’ on other platforms–that’s a little bit of a red flag,” Temkin said. “One thing that’s been critical to Flash’s success is that all the features work everywhere.”
Just Say No.
“Rich” in Microsoft language usually means “ripe with the possibility for viruses and exploits”
My gut feeling is that Flash, in Adobe’s very capable hands, can and will more than hold its own against any half-baked bullshit technology Microsoft can come up with. Microsoft is like those flesh-eating plants that ooze a sweet, sticky sap to attract victims who get stuck in the gooey mess. The integration of Flash with Photoshop is a big step forward for the creative sector, and increasing broadband speeds are finally making Flash-based websites a practical reality. Microsoft is pissing into the wind on this one.
Just watch…it will work well with IE on windows but poor with Safari on the Mac. Wann bet…anyone? helloooooooo?
I’m not “plugging in” anything from MICROSH*T in my precious and well functioning Mac
Content providers just have to support the superior Quicktime format.
Danger! Danger! Will Robinson! Security alert!
Now why in the world would anyone want to use Silverfish? They’re a blight to society, second only to cockroaches and, like cockroaches, leave their droppings everywhere.
Microsoft can keep their Silverfish.
Thank you very much.
From the Silverlight FAQs:
Q – Will Silverlight support digital rights management?
A – For content providers, Silverlight will support digital rights management (DRM) built on the recently announced Microsoft PlayReady content access technology on Windows-based computers and Macintosh computers.
PlayReady DRM for Macs? Haven’t heard of that one.
In the story about Silverlight over on Macworld, Microsoft touts it not just as a competitor to Flash, but also as a competitor to Quicktime itself.
Yay. Another copyvation from Microsoft.
I’m sure Dan Eran of RDM will have a field day with Silverlight. Gotta love their totally unimaginative codenames.
ANYONE who even THINKS of adopting this should come down to Alabama and meet my brother Dirk out in the barn…
Microsoft isn’t dead after all. They’re just giving up the OS business, but they will live on inside your browser!
PlayReady DRM for Macs? Haven’t heard of that one.
This is hilarious! Microsoft had to ditch “plays for sure” because it didn’t. Now they want to pawn off “play ready”—meaning it plays if other nondisclosed conditions (controlled by Microsoft, no doubt) are met. Microsoft is like a party crasher who has already been discovered and kicked out of the party, but keeps trying to sneak back in wearing the same disguise.
Okay folks,
So I tried to watch the video at microsoft.com/silverlight. The video wouldn’t even play! I was running it in Windows XP, with Windows media player, and it said it didn’t have the proper codec. Then I followed the links to get the codec and it wasn’t even on the MSFT website!
I sent them a comment and told them that was the reason I switched to Mac, among other things. I can see the flying chairs right now.
Unfortunately, no one will see this brilliant comment because it is so far down the line.
SOP for Micro$oft. Preannounce a product that is far ahead of the current offerings of everyone else, then deliver a buggy, stripped down version after many delays like they’ve routinely done for the past 2 decades. Is it possible this trick is finally starting not to work anymore? That is outside of the Enderle/Thurrot/Ou et al M$ advertising, er, punditry machine…
Nah, I’ll just stick with ‘real’ cross-platform technology; not some (MS) product pretending to be!
whens the first security patch coming out?
huh… yeah…. Good luck with that!
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