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View Full Version : Web site development using Silverlight, a chance to speak up



kurt18947
October 11th, 2011, 11:59 PM
I hope this is the proper place for this. If not, the mods are free to move it as they see fit. I use Intellicast for weather information, among other web sites. They are developing some new features and soliciting user feedback. Those features require MS Silverlight. I left feedback to the effect that Silverlight doesn't work well with modern Linux distributions and if I have to chose between using the OS/browser combo of my choice and Silverlight-enabled web sites, those web sites requiring Silverlight lose every time. I know about moonlight but as far as I can tell, the moonlight plug-in doesn't work on FireFox versions newer than 4. If anyone else feels like leaving feedback to that effect and perhaps make suggestions for better supported alternatives, the web site is www.intellicast.com.

Frogs Hair
October 12th, 2011, 01:31 AM
I have had good luck with Moonlight on the few sites I need it for . I run the Firefox nightly build which is at 10 alpha 1 at the moment . I do use the add on compatibility reporter which I needed to install Moonlight on the development release . I have not used Moonlight very much with Firefox but it seems work on the test sites I have tried .

alphacrucis2
October 12th, 2011, 02:24 AM
I thought MS had ditched silverlight in favour of html 5?

kaldor
October 12th, 2011, 08:38 AM
I thought MS had ditched silverlight in favour of html 5?

I thought so too. Either way, I am very much against proprietary third party addons being needed in order to view content on websites. I'm not even a FOSS zealot; I just want to be able to view the web on whatever device I use. Silverlight only works on two operating systems. Even with the small number of people using Linux (or tablets), I think it's just a setback which unnecessarily blocks users.

Remember that a lot of people don't use Windows. There's a Mac version available, but it's just another thing that needs to be installed just to view content which you'll probably rarely see ever again. I know some people will likely say stuff regarding "oh but it's only 1%". But as far as I'm concerned the web should be available for everyone. Needing to tell users "just use a Windows PC to view our website" is simply incompetent.

When it comes to Desktop programs I don't care too much. But, the web should be cross-platform and open to everyone. Nobody should need to switch systems/devices or install more useless software just to see some content that the developers could probably have made with CSS3 transitions or the <video> tag. I am more lenient when it comes to Flash, but that's only because it's pretty much the de facto standard for multimedia on the web and actually supports a wide range of systems.

I went a bit off topic, but that's just it :)

Joeb454
October 12th, 2011, 10:22 AM
I don't believe MS have abandoned Silverlight completely, they're currently shipping a beta version of Silverlight 5. This suggests to me that it will be supported for X years, even if no new features are added to the framework.

As for moonlight - I've never really used it, I don't use many websites that require silverlight.

kurt18947
October 12th, 2011, 11:23 AM
I thought so too. Either way, I am very much against proprietary third party addons being needed in order to view content on websites. I'm not even a FOSS zealot; I just want to be able to view the web on whatever device I use. Silverlight only works on two operating systems. Even with the small number of people using Linux (or tablets), I think it's just a setback which unnecessarily blocks users.

Remember that a lot of people don't use Windows. There's a Mac version available, but it's just another thing that needs to be installed just to view content which you'll probably rarely see ever again. I know some people will likely say stuff regarding "oh but it's only 1%". But as far as I'm concerned the web should be available for everyone. Needing to tell users "just use a Windows PC to view our website" is simply incompetent.

When it comes to Desktop programs I don't care too much. But, the web should be cross-platform and open to everyone. Nobody should need to switch systems/devices or install more useless software just to see some content that the developers could probably have made with CSS3 transitions or the <video> tag. I am more lenient when it comes to Flash, but that's only because it's pretty much the de facto standard for multimedia on the web and actually supports a wide range of systems.

I went a bit off topic, but that's just it :)

This is my issue. I was going to mention HTML5 but I don't know if its development is far enough along to support the required functions. I think of flash as sort of like rhinoviruses -- a PITA but it's everywhere so we have to deal with it. The web site I mentioned is one I could see people accessing on portable devices. AFAIK Silverlight is not supported on iOS or Android.

philinux
October 12th, 2011, 11:28 AM
I don't believe MS have abandoned Silverlight completely, they're currently shipping a beta version of Silverlight 5. This suggests to me that it will be supported for X years, even if no new features are added to the framework.

As for moonlight - I've never really used it, I don't use many websites that require silverlight.

Sky.com is one I use regularly.

Dang it what a shame sky.com uses silverlight. It's a real pita.
Sky Go is a therefore not available unless you're running windows.

Does my head in as now it wont work with the latest moonlight/firefox combo.