This document provides an overview of Silverlight, including what it is, how it compares to other client-side technologies, and why it is important. It discusses Silverlight's benefits over Flash, provides examples of Silverlight applications, and summarizes key features in Silverlight 2.0 like controls, data binding, and communication capabilities. The document concludes with a brief demo of building a Silverlight application.

1. Introduction to Silverlight BiTWISE June 24, 2011

2. About Angela Ward Independent consultant since mid-90s on Microsoft platforms OODB, WinForms, XML, .NET Business Analyst, QA Test Lead

3. Presentation Overview What is Silverlight? How does it relate to other client-side technologies? How important is it? Silverlight app development walk-through

4. What is Silverlight? One word definition: Flash Browser plug-in: cross-browser, cross-platform Use case today: Animated ads, Video Use case tomorrow: Applications (Flex) Benefits: Adds functionality + write-once-run-everywhere Why Silverlight not Flash? More words: Flash + .NET More words: WPF-subset + .NET-subset

5. This is a big deal Once-every-20-years event Existing client-side web technology has reached the peak of its life-cycle Fresh start of a new client GUI technology Web is where the action is The network is the computer

6. Comparing client platforms HTML / CSS / JavaScript / AJAX Desktop: Win16 Win32 WinForms WPF Silverlight Flash / Flex Web:

7. Competing technologies Desktop based “smart clients” WPF on high end 3D, Hardware acceleration WinForms: (Mature, proven) Web-based: ASP.NET - HTML + CSS ASP.NET - HTML + CSS + AJAX Adobe Flash / Flex Desktop-web hybrid (?): Adobe AIR

8. Demo – Yahoo Finance Charts

9. Demo – Picnik.com Photo Editor

10. Feature Details

11. WPF / Silverlight – Positives: Vector based vs. pixel based Scalable – Looks good at multiple resolutions XAML – Similar to HTML Declarative Designers and programmers work in parallel Rich customization is possible in a well-designed way

12. WPF - Negatives Windows only Requires 50 / 200 MB .NET 3.x runtime Steep learning curve

13. Early Versions of Silverlight 1.0 RTM in Sept. 2007 Code behind – JavaScript only 1.1 / 2.0 Alpha introduced in Spring 2007. Beta at MIX08 in March 2008. RTM maybe Q3-2008. Code behind - .NET languages C#, etc. Partial .NET class library

14. Silverlight - Positives Lightweight at 4-6 MB, quick download .NET based Write in C# or VB.NET Use familiar class libraries Rich state-of-the-art GUI Vector based All types of content handled uniformly Secure - sandboxed

15. Silverlight - Negatives Not quite here yet “ Pig in a poke” Sandboxing limits functionality Conflicting products within Microsoft?

16. Demo: Silverlight Airlines

17. Demo: MS Download Center

18. Demo: 3 rd Party Control Vendor

19. Silverlight 5.0 Features: Won’t know details until August 2011 Controls: Data: Communications:

20. Silverlight 2.0 Features: Controls: Extensible control base classes Common controls: Textbox, Checkbox, Radiobutton, etc TabControl, Slider, ScrollViewer, ProgressBar, etc Layout controls: Grid, StackPanel Data controls: DataGrid, etc

21. Silverlight 2.0 Features: Data: 2-way data binding More LINQ support: LINQ to XML

22. Silverlight 2.0 Features: Communications: REST, POX, RSS, and WS-* communication Cross domain network access Sockets

23. Feature Unknowns (?) Local client integration? Read and write local files? Read local mic and webcam? WCF? Depth of class libraries? Pay-for-play

24. Silverlight Development Walk-through

25. Silverlight Tools Expression Blend : GUI builder Graphic designers Visual Studio 2008/2010: Includes a more limited GUI builder Programmers