Silverlight 2 RTM (Release) version released !!!

Hi All

M$ has just released the release version a.k.a. RTM version of Silverlight 2 today, which was in beta 2 for few months, and within 3 weeks' time of releasing RC0 for Developers.

• It can be downloaded from Silverlight 2 website.
• Microsoft Press release on the same is Silverlight 2 release press release.
• Scott Gu blog post is also Scott Go post on Silverlight 2 release.
• Download and get started on Silverlight 2 from Getting Started on Silverlight 2.
• One of the nice Silverlight 2 controls from a 3rd party vendor telerik RadControls for Silverlight 2 is telerik RadControls for Silverlight 2.

Now, it's going to be an interesting battle between Adobe Vs. Microsoft Vs. JavaFx (due tobe released in 2009). But, right now, the RIA battle would be between M$ vs. Adobe. I'm a .NET guy, but, still i was in Java in my initial day's for quite some time.

I knew Flex from the beginning stage when it was introduced by Macromedia. MXML is the tag based language similar to HTML, but XAML in SL 2 is a lighter version of WPF one.

As we all knew, WPF itself is a ground up development by M$ with DirectX 10 (.NET ver of DirectX) released with Windows Vista. So, i dont' think no one would compare XAML with MXML. But, still, feature wise, SL 2 Vs. Flex is going to give Enterprise Architects, CEO's, RIA decision makers a tough time to decide. Since every Enterprise would have .NET / Java team internally/thru their partner vendors. But, no one would be having Adobe / Flex team within their Enterprise.

BTW, i've seen some recent blog comment by a RIA advocate saying, getting Flex resource is becoming tough, tough Flex is nice. Even we're also experiencing the same as a Vendor for few of the Flex projects.

My gut feel is, slowly, M$ would replace ASP.NET with SL 2 in the Enterprise with every .NET projects by the mid / end of 2009. Since Java guys knew JavaFX is on the way, they're reluctant in learning/doing Flex based UI. This would continue till JavaFX is released. I've a strong feel that JavaFX would comeout by the end of 2009 only, knowing Sun's no-commitment strategy on Java. So, by the time Flex and SL 2 making inroads in Enterprise, almost all .NET projects would start using SL 2 and JavaFX in no time will become the de-facto RIA for J2EE based projects. Ultimately, Flex would end-up in competing with Java world, but, not with .NET world. I see a % of market-share as below by end of 2009;

Silverlight 2 - 40% in RIA market, but, with 50% in .NET rest with ASP.NET

Flex - 30% in RIA market

JavaFX - 10-20% in RIA market

Other RIA frameworks' - Rest of the 10-20%.

It's almost 2 yrs back I took a session on WPF/E (WPF everywhere - code name of Silverlight 2) in Chennai Tidel park for Chennai .NET User Group (CNUG). M$ kept it's promise by releasing an Silverlight 2 Ecplise plug-in for Java community. More info is Silverlight 2 Eclipse plug-in for Java.

Tx & Regards

Sankar Balu

Architect

Wipro LTD @ Bank of New York Mellon,

New York