What is Silverlight, and do I need it?

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So we can define "Silverlight" as a programming model for developing and distributing rich Internet applications (RIA) that use graphics, animations or video within the .NET framework.

I think this technology will used much more in the future , but until this time we aren't obliged to use the silverlight tool.

important article leo , thanks ...
http://www.fosdir.com

Typical Microsoft, wanting to control everything, can't possibly use something that was created by someone else (ODF/OOXML, Flash/Silverlight). This company disgusts me.

A lot of Microsoft's own sites will NOT work unless you install Silverlight.

So Leo, you gave in and installed Silverlight. But you've said previously that you use Firefox. A pointless installation??
By the way, there are other M'soft updates, even so-called 'critical' updates, that are completely unnecessary. But it's impossible to know this until they've been installed - and cannot be uninstalled.

I tend to agree with Des on this Leo....My son swears by Microsoft (I don't) and never will I hate authority
I too use Firefox whenever I can.
What I did find disconcerting was the statement by Des that a lot of updates are unnecessary.
Worse still they cannot be uninstalled
Mick Rogers

You don't HAVE to accept the updates. Under Control Panel, go to Security Center, then Windows Updates. One of your choices is "Notify me but don't automatically download and install them." When a window pops up in your system tray saying there are updates available you can click on that box and review what updates are there. Deselect the ones you don't want. This morning it wanted to download the Windows XP SP3 to the tune of 316MB. I deselected because I've already downloaded and installed this myself. I also don't let it download anything to do with Outlook or Outlook Express because I don't have either program on my computer. Hope this helps

thank you so much for the article.the name sounded inspirational and i wanted to download and install without knowing what it was.from your article i definitely want to wait and watch.i dont know why everybody is blaiming microsoft for one thing or the other .please remember that the company began from strach .

don't need it .i'm going to linux as second os.
there's even one that works a cd.

Actually the vast majority of Linux distributions can run from a cd. It's called Live-CD.
BTW i installed Silverlight on my test pc and it broke my Opera browser when i tried to visit the Microsoft Downloads site. It was a pain to remove so i say: Stay away from it, it's not worth it now.

Adobe's Flash is annoying with things moving all around the place, many in ads. I use FlashSwitch from FlashSwitch.com to stop Flash junk. It allows turning on Flash by clicking on the icon in the tool tray when you need to use Flash for something.
Is there a similar program to turn off Silverlight? If not, I hope someone creates one fast.

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