Microsoft Silverlight , a re-branding of their WPF/E technology (Windows Presentation Foundation Everywhere). It works as a cross-browser plug-in for delivering media experiences and rich interactive applications (RIAs)that works under Windows environment. So basically it is Microsoft’s equivalent to Adobe’s Flash. In other view, The launching of Microsoft Silverlight has created a direct war between their new Silverlight media player and Adobe Flash Player. Here’s the press release and a fact sheet (doc).

Meanwhile, Microsoft has team up with some media company like Akamai, Brightcove, Eyeblaster, Limelight, Major League Baseball, NaviSite Inc., Netflix and others use Silverlight as their media player on web.

I suggest you read on Tim Sneath’s Microsoft blog. Sneath has a great write -up about 10 reasons why you (as a developer) might want to use Silverlight, What i can see there are two big advantages over Adobe Flash. First, Create user interfaces in XAML, which means able to edit on plain text application like Notepad. Second, you can also create Windows Vista user interfaces in XAML, and “almost 100%” compatibility should save a huge amount of rework: developers can deploy the same UI as a desktop application, as a thin client, and on the Web.

So, Will Microsoft Silverlight will be a flash killer ? Only time will tell. For my point of view, Silverlight acceptance is sure lesser because no support for linux. For sure developer prefers using cross platform and cross browser media player tools like Adobe Flash on their media development.

Here is couple of blogs writing about Silverlight

• Joe Stegman’s WebBlog http://blogs.msdn.com/jstegman/
• Mike Harsh’s Blog http://blogs.msdn.com/mharsh/
• Sean Alexander’s Blog http://www.seanalexander.com/
• Somasegar’s WebLog http://blogs.msdn.com/somasegar/
• Laurence Moroney’s Blog Web.Next http://blogs.msdn.com/webnext/
• Tim Sneath’s Blog http://blogs.msdn.com/tims
• Dave L. Campbell’s Blog http://www.wynapse.com/