Silverlight (32bit) 5.1.50907.0

 

Microsoft Silverlight is a development framework for creating rich internet applications (RIAs) and media experiences. Although its usage has significantly declined in favor of more modern technologies, it was once a popular tool for building interactive web and mobile applications. Here’s a detailed description of Silverlight's features and functionalities:

Key Features:

1. Rich User Interfaces:

   • Vector Graphics: Supports scalable vector graphics (SVG) for creating visually appealing and interactive UIs.
   • Animations: Provides robust animation capabilities for dynamic and engaging user interfaces.

2. Media Handling:

   • Streaming Media: Optimized for streaming high-quality audio and video content.
   • DRM Support: Includes support for Digital Rights Management (DRM) to protect copyrighted media content.

3. Scripting and Programming:

   • .NET Framework Integration: Leverages the .NET framework, allowing developers to use languages like C# and VB.NET.
   • XAML-Based Design: Uses Extensible Application Markup Language (XAML) for designing UI components.

4. Cross-Platform Support:

   • Multiple Browsers: Initially designed to run on various web browsers, including Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.
   • Cross-Platform: Although primarily targeting Windows, Silverlight applications could also run on macOS.

5. Interactivity:

   • Deep Zoom: Allows users to zoom into high-resolution images smoothly, providing detailed views without compromising performance.
   • Webcam and Microphone: Supports capturing video and audio directly from webcams and microphones.

6. Data Handling:

   • WCF RIA Services: Facilitates the development of data-driven applications with easy access to server-side data.
   • LINQ Integration: Allows for complex querying and data manipulation directly within Silverlight applications.

7. Out-of-Browser Support:

   • Desktop Applications: Silverlight applications could be configured to run outside the browser, offering desktop-like experiences with local storage capabilities.

8. Networking:

   • Sockets Support: Includes support for sockets to enable real-time communication between clients and servers.
   • REST and SOAP: Supports REST and SOAP-based web services for flexible data exchange.

Usage Scenarios:

• Media Streaming: Used by websites to stream video and audio content, offering a seamless media playback experience.
• Interactive Applications: Suitable for developing interactive web applications, such as online games and business dashboards.
• Rich Internet Applications (RIAs): Enabled the creation of complex web applications with advanced user interfaces and functionalities.

Decline and Modern Alternatives:

• End of Support: Microsoft announced the end of Silverlight support, with official support ending in October 2021.
• Transition to HTML5: The web development community has largely transitioned to HTML5, CSS3, and JavaScript, which offer better performance, broader compatibility, and are supported by modern browsers without the need for plugins.
• Modern Technologies: Technologies like Angular, React, and Vue.js, along with frameworks such as Blazor (for .NET developers), have become the preferred tools for building modern web applications.

Compatibility:

• Platforms: Originally supported on Windows and macOS.
• Browsers: Compatible with Internet Explorer, Firefox, Safari, and initially Google Chrome (support was discontinued as Chrome dropped NPAPI plugin support).

Licensing:

• Free: Silverlight was available as a free plugin for both developers and end-users.

Summary:

Microsoft Silverlight was a powerful framework for developing rich, interactive web applications and media experiences. It provided robust tools for UI design, media streaming, and data handling, leveraging the .NET framework for development. Despite its decline in usage and the end of official support, Silverlight played a significant role in advancing web application capabilities during its time. Modern web development has shifted towards open standards like HTML5, but Silverlight's contributions to rich internet application development remain notable.

Download now