The following was an internal response to an email about: Times abandons WPF & Silverlight and how it affects Total Training’s plans for delivering video content over the web. It should be noted that Total Training partners with both Adobe and Microsoft and produces training products for the products being discussed. We do not currently offer any Oracle, Java or JavaFX training. I welcome your comments. – Steve
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The Times is abandoning the WPF & Silverlight because they have to maintain two different code bases, one native application and one browser based. As AIR applications aren’t really native apps in any sense of the concept (security, performance, functionality) they aren’t really getting a better product out of the mix except in the one mentioned area, font rendering.
The Times because it is primarily a text rendering application is less relevant than two other examples, Netflix and MLB. Both Netflix and MLB provide applications that are primarily video and require continuous connection to the Internet.
MLB abandoned Silverlight because it failed to deliver technically. The primary reason that they moved to Flash is because Flash can be installed on the typical workplace desktop without administrative privilege, not so for Silverlight. MLB also got a black eye with their launch that was plagued with problems. However that launch occurred prior to the Olympics. Both MLB and the Olympics really helped MS wring the bugs out of high performance video streaming.
Netflix’s experience has been nearly the opposite of MLB’s. Netflix is, of course, forced into Silverlight because of the DRM capability. Yet they laid off 50 people in their customer support department specifically crediting Silverlight for a reduction in support calls. Netflix had some recent quality issues (now fixed) that the community blamed on Silverlight. Netflix never admitted what was causing those problems.
As I look at the scoreboard now I see the following:
- The promise of WPF/Silverlight combined applications was not realized. Nor has Silverlight brought the power of .NET to web applications.
- The lacks of a Mac native WPF application capability or a supported wrapper for Silverlight leave MS at a disadvantage to Adobe AIR.
- Silverlight’s installation issues are temporary until MS forces Silverlight in through Windows Update, but until then Flash has an advantage for workplace desktop penetration.
- Silverlight is still the only viable DRM platform, this means it should be the de-facto first choice for any video subscription service. MLB is already having piracy issues even with live games, but since these games are broadcast in the clear the need to protect their Internet streams is not critical.
- Flash has a maturity edge over Silverlight on the application components and has closed the gap in terms of media presentation.
- Microsoft will signal full support of Silverlight as it begins to cut all of its applications and services over to it to compete head to head against Google Apps. Once this is done Silverlight will gain significant credibility for use inside the enterprise and will then gain acceptance for outside facing applications, especially at MS primary development shops.
I should also mention that it appears that the Oracle purchase of Sun is likely to kill JavaFX. Even if Oracle doesn’t actually kill it the months of uncertainty during the acquisition will likely prevent any adoption of the platform.