Consider you are in an interview for a .NET/C# job, and are asked:
What is Silverlight, in one sentence?
EDIT: OK, some took it the funny way:-) I have accepted one of the more serious approaches though. However, thanks to all posters.
This ... i agree with ... but i can't help but feel it leaves something out.
Wardy
2010-05-20 12:55:53
Flash to Silverlight is like a bicycle to a luxury car (both in terms of ease of development as well as user experience). It has nothing in common.
Sebastian P.R. Gingter
2010-05-19 08:03:42
@Sebastian, so Flash is good for your health, whereas Silverlight produces noise and toxic gases. :)
avakar
2010-05-19 08:37:47
I agree with sebastian, people hugely under estimate the potential of silverlight, to compare it to flash is like comparing apples to pears ... you need like for like ... but it's still a good laugh !!!ROFL
Wardy
2010-05-20 12:57:48
+2
A:
It's Microsoft's answer to Adobe Flash, but its more powerful as it can utilise the rest of the .NET framework.
Joe R
2010-05-19 07:51:20
Only through connecting to a server that contains the rest of .Net, the silverlight framework is not by a long shot "the rest of .Net"
Wardy
2010-05-20 12:55:14
Thanks for the clarification. At least with Adobe you don't have that option.
Joe R
2010-05-20 13:25:58
You can still connect to web services publishedo n the .Net platform from what I understand, but it would be a cleaner experience to use an entire .Net platform end to end.
Wardy
2010-05-23 15:16:21
+2
A:
Silverlight is a cross-platform approach for usable user interfaces within a browser.
Sebastian P.R. Gingter
2010-05-19 08:00:54
I like this. In the interview, the shortness and architectural aspect would be great. However, here, the .NET/C# part is left out.
Marcel
2010-05-19 11:10:41
On Purpose, because I also can do Moonlight (SL on Mono) with Delphi Prism (quite cool .NET language btw.). The Microsoft-side is what I tried to leave out with the cross-platform hint.
Sebastian P.R. Gingter
2010-05-19 12:26:27
No matter how you look at it though, it's still .Net which is Microsoft by design is it not?
Wardy
2010-05-20 12:54:21
.NET was designed by Microsoft, but it is an ECMA standard. And there are alternative implementations which in some cases are even more advanced than the MS one's.
Sebastian P.R. Gingter
2010-05-20 16:12:11
I thought /.Net was an implementation on top of the ECMA standard therefore a Microsoft Product. Despite there being many "more advanced" options I think few have come close to making them as widely accepted as .Net ... technically widespread acceptance is a true sign of standardisation is it not?
Wardy
2010-05-23 15:18:50
+8
A:
It's a framework for building interactive applications for the web, desktop, and mobile devices using .NET technologies.
allonym
2010-05-19 08:10:55
@Marcel: As someone who __asks__ interview questions I would not be satisfied with this answer at all.
AnthonyWJones
2010-05-19 12:14:46
@Anthony: it turns out my answer tracks pretty closely with Microsoft's description on the Silverlight website. I'm genuinely curious, though, what you think an acceptable answer would be.(no sarcasm intended, I really do want to know!)
allonym
2010-05-19 16:30:34
@Mark, yeah this is somewhat missing and a strong point for using silverlight, at least for me personally as coming form the desktop developer fraction.@Anthony: Me too, I would know your answer to the question!
Marcel
2010-05-19 19:06:45
@Marcel with your reference to "coming from the desktop developer fraction" i'm suprised you do not hold in higher regard an answer that mentions WPF?
Wardy
2010-05-20 13:00:02
@Mark "Using .Net native languages" is somewhat inaccurate because it only supports 1 language ... C# .Net however is a little smarter than that.
Wardy
2010-05-20 13:01:12
@Wardy I'm not sure I follow. Are you saying I can't write Silverlight in VB.Net? It doesn't look like that to me. http://www.silverlight.net/content/learn/tutorials/Creatinganewsilverlightprojectvb_x.png And I'm sure I've seen examples of hosting IronRuby and IronPython in Silverlight.
Mark
2010-05-20 13:29:48
@Wardy: Unfortunately, I have not been able to create a real-world WPF application, so I have lost the focus on that a little bit, personally. But you are right, that this could well be mentioned together with Silverlight.
Marcel
2010-05-21 11:38:37
@Mark, no I'm saying that your previous comment and i quote "using native .Net languages." is not entirely accurate because you can only use C#. ... .Net has many native languages.
Wardy
2010-05-23 15:14:17
@Wardy, but can't you write Silverlight apps in C#, VB.Net, IronRuby, and IronPython?
Mark
2010-05-24 13:17:15
Mark is correct, you can write Silverlight apps in C#, VB.Net, IronRuby, IronPython, F#, and Boo. Any CLI language should be able to do WPF/Silverlight, because they can all use the classes in PresentationCore.dll. Silverlight isn't magic, it's built on .NET technologies.
allonym
2010-05-24 15:35:47
A:
Silverlight is microsofts way of making flashy applications. Ops, was that a pun?
Ram Bhat
2010-05-19 08:17:54
+1
A:
I would say something like ...
Microsofts aproach at embedding a lightweight version of the .Net framework in to a portable package that can be deployed on many platforms, this is often compared to flash of java as they also take the same aproach, essentially the idea is to allow the .Net platform to reach other areas where a full install would not be required / suitable.
... or ...
Its a cut down version of WPF designed to run on any platform with a lightweight deploy.
Wardy
2010-05-19 08:20:40
A:
Silver light is a new cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiences and Rich Interactive Applications(RIA) for the web. It runs in all popular browsers.It is combination of different technologies into a single development platform that allows you to select tools and the programming language you want to use. Silver light integrates seamlessly with your existing JavaScript and ASP.NET AJAX code to complement functionality which you have already created.
deepu
2010-05-21 11:22:47
oh...then first sentence will be enough.... Silver light is a new cross-browser, cross-platform implementation of the .NET Framework for building and delivering the next generation of media experiences and Rich Interactive Applications(RIA) for the web
deepu
2010-05-21 12:00:55