Comments on: What’s new in Silverlight 3 http://www.hufkens.net/2009/03/whats-new-in-silverlight-3/ {Technology Enthusiast & Developer} Thu, 19 Jan 2012 21:46:48 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.2.1 By: Alain http://www.hufkens.net/2009/03/whats-new-in-silverlight-3/comment-page-1/#comment-114 Alain Wed, 25 Mar 2009 12:34:15 +0000 http://www.hufkens.net/?p=566#comment-114 Hi Mark, Before comparing Silverlight with Flash/Flex we need to define what we talk about. Yes, you are right that Silverlight is more comparable to Flex from a development point of view. Flex uses MXML and Silverlight uses XAML for the presentation of the UI. But Flex is a framework on top of the Flash Platform, so that means that in the end it's just an swf file playing in the Flash Player. Then you also have the tools. If you are a Flash Developer you would probably work with Flex Builder or <a href="http://fdt.powerflasher.com/" rel="nofollow">FDT</a>. If you are a Flash Designer you would probably work with <a href="http://www.adobe.com/nl/products/flash/" rel="nofollow">Flash Professional CS4</a> and spend most of your time creating time-line animations. When you do Silverlight development you will also need someone who does the design and animations and there you have <a href="http://www.microsoft.com/expression/products/Overview.aspx?key=blend" rel="nofollow">Expression Blend</a> as a tool. It is not exactly the same as Flash Professional CS4. If you are a developer working in C# or VB.NET, you would use Visual Studio. I hope that this helps you make a decision. It all depends what you are comparing: browser plug-ins, tools or programming languages. Hi Mark,

Before comparing Silverlight with Flash/Flex we need to define what we talk about. Yes, you are right that Silverlight is more comparable to Flex from a development point of view. Flex uses MXML and Silverlight uses XAML for the presentation of the UI. But Flex is a framework on top of the Flash Platform, so that means that in the end it’s just an swf file playing in the Flash Player.

Then you also have the tools. If you are a Flash Developer you would probably work with Flex Builder or FDT. If you are a Flash Designer you would probably work with Flash Professional CS4 and spend most of your time creating time-line animations. When you do Silverlight development you will also need someone who does the design and animations and there you have Expression Blend as a tool. It is not exactly the same as Flash Professional CS4. If you are a developer working in C# or VB.NET, you would use Visual Studio.

I hope that this helps you make a decision. It all depends what you are comparing: browser plug-ins, tools or programming languages.

]]> By: mark http://www.hufkens.net/2009/03/whats-new-in-silverlight-3/comment-page-1/#comment-113 mark Wed, 25 Mar 2009 11:30:37 +0000 http://www.hufkens.net/?p=566#comment-113 Is SL not more comparable to Adobe Flex rather than flash (from a developer point of view). I'm not a Flash programmer (tried it, hated it) so am keen to find a "Flash type" product that is developer orientated, be it Adobe or Microsoft. Thanks for the article :) Is SL not more comparable to Adobe Flex rather than flash (from a developer point of view). I’m not a Flash programmer (tried it, hated it) so am keen to find a “Flash type” product that is developer orientated, be it Adobe or Microsoft.

Thanks for the article :)

]]> By: Alain http://www.hufkens.net/2009/03/whats-new-in-silverlight-3/comment-page-1/#comment-104 Alain Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:45:20 +0000 http://www.hufkens.net/?p=566#comment-104 I agree that most of it can be done already on the Flash Platform and that for Flash developers it's not all that new. But for a .NET developer not knowing any Actionscript or Flash this is some pretty cool stuff. Thanx for the FP10 clarification. I though that that was not yet possible, but you are the expert ;) I agree that most of it can be done already on the Flash Platform and that for Flash developers it’s not all that new. But for a .NET developer not knowing any Actionscript or Flash this is some pretty cool stuff.

Thanx for the FP10 clarification. I though that that was not yet possible, but you are the expert ;)

]]> By: David http://www.hufkens.net/2009/03/whats-new-in-silverlight-3/comment-page-1/#comment-103 David Wed, 18 Mar 2009 21:35:20 +0000 http://www.hufkens.net/?p=566#comment-103 Actually, they're just nearing in on the Flash Platform, and in some ways exactly copying it. "... to enable final surface draw GPU acceleration. This could be something that can out performe the Flash player." That is actually exactly what FP10 does with its new gpu flag, just the final blit to the screen (tho it seems Adobe is still considering extending the possibilities). The cool part is using HLSL for Effects, which is solid and accepted by developers, and has a very decent IDE. Since Pixel Bender is the new kid on the block, the roles in that (small) field seem reversed ;) Actually, they’re just nearing in on the Flash Platform, and in some ways exactly copying it.

“… to enable final surface draw GPU acceleration. This could be something that can out performe the Flash player.”
That is actually exactly what FP10 does with its new gpu flag, just the final blit to the screen (tho it seems Adobe is still considering extending the possibilities).

The cool part is using HLSL for Effects, which is solid and accepted by developers, and has a very decent IDE. Since Pixel Bender is the new kid on the block, the roles in that (small) field seem reversed ;)

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