Summary: Silverlight is Microsoft's new collection of software to support rich web-based applications. You may not need it yet, but eventually you might.
I just did a check for fixes & updates using Windows Updates. The result of the check was a software update for which I do not know if I should download and install it or not. As an "end user" home computer, I don't know if I need "Silverlight v1.0". I was wondering if you could shed some light on this Silverlight and, generally speaking, whether or not a home user would need or use Silverlight.
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Do you need it? Probably not yet. But I'm guessing that someday you will want it.
And even if you don't, I'm guessing not having it will, eventually, be annoying enough that you'll give in and install it anyway.
This is a frustratingly classic case of "Resistance is Futile".
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Here's the Microsoft line on Silverlight:
Microsoft Silverlight delivers a new generation of high-quality audio and video, engaging media experiences, and interactive applications for the Web.
In a way, Silverlight is much like Adobe's Flash in that it enables a bunch of functionality that "plain old HTML" simply doesn't support such as animation, video, multimedia and more. In fact, Silverlight is considered in many ways a Flash competitor.
So, do you need it?
Probably not yet. The number of web sites that are using it is actually small. It's unlikely that you'll actually see any difference as you browse the web without Silverlight for some time, with a few exceptions.
Microsoft is of course pushing everyone to install Silverlight support on their machines so that website authors will be encouraged to use the new technology. You're seeing it in Windows Update. In fact, if you simply visit the Microsoft home page, you'll likely be prompted right there to install it as well, since Microsoft is naturally also using the technology itself. At this point, it's not a requirement, but it wouldn't surprise me if someday certain key features required Silverlight.
My guess is that it's simply going to become annoying.
You may run into a site where you actually want to install it to get the site's functionality, and that's fine. It's actually a fairly small download and install.
What I expect, though, is to be nagged into submission by Windows Update, and by visiting sites that don't require it, but promise some kind "enhanced experience" if you have do it.
Like microsoft.com.
Right now there are bumps in the road. I'm finding that if you're running Internet Explorer all seems to be well. Silverlight installs and runs just fine. However, if you are visiting Microsoft.com with FireFox 3, the site doesn't believe that Silverlight is installed and keeps offering it, even though Silverlight is most definitely installed.
That's a little frustrating, but sadly not terribly surprising.
So my bottom line: you can keep avoiding it, if you like. Chances are that for now you won't really notice any issues other than the occasional reminder that you haven't installed it.
Me? I gave in and installed it, just to remove one more annoyance.
It does at times seem that resistance is futile.
Related:
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Why won't Flash work, even though it's installed? Adobe Flash is a nearly ubiquitous tool for displaying video on the web. You must install if, of course, but often that's not enough.
Article C3445 - July 14, 2008
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
Posted by: T. at July 16, 2008 10:36 AMthank 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 .
Posted by: jyothish kumar at July 17, 2008 10:13 AMdon't need it .i'm going to linux as second os.
Posted by: richard myers at July 17, 2008 12:53 PMthere's even one that works a cd.
Actually the vast majority of Linux distributions can run from a cd. It's called Live-CD.
Posted by: Gigi Duru at July 18, 2008 9:29 AMBTW 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.
Posted by: Ken Crook at July 19, 2008 9:19 PMIs there a similar program to turn off Silverlight? If not, I hope someone creates one fast.
Unless my computer will stop working if I do not install Silverlight, then MS can go to the "hot spot". As far as I am concerned, most of their "updates" are just another form of "phone home" spyware. I do NOT trust MS as far as I "can throw them" because they do NOT trust loyal PAYING customers and insist on you "passing" a security check every time you want to update. This and other actions by MS are just going to drive people to other OS's.
Posted by: Larry at December 8, 2008 9:41 AMReading the agreement silverlight states it tracks and reports websites you visit. does it report every site or just the silverlight encoded sites?
Posted by: tony d at March 28, 2009 3:41 PMM.S. Silverlight it is not just annoying, it breaks some basic windows functions and they never fixed it properly.
Posted by: F.G. at April 2, 2009 1:04 PMI had to remove it from all my systems.
this article wa very informative and helped me a lot in deciding what to do with it, and I liked the reply by T.july 16, 2008 re update security centre. Thanks for that. Like everything else microsoft is a good product but it has become so big wit so many changing products its not able to be managed properly anymore and what are minor details to them but big to the end user gets lots in the system, thus inexperienced people like myself are getting updates and don't know what to do with them or how to fix them without research. This forum site by microsft is one of the best and thanks for that too. Like me with 'always learning' microsoft is no doubt 'always trying to improve' but is getting lost in its massiveness as well. Microsoft is not alone in that regard but they seem to be doing a good job in providing free support. thanks
Posted by: compmail54 at May 10, 2009 8:01 PMmy computer has silverlite and .net do i need both its just a home computer email-games web surfing
Posted by: pamela lomas at September 18, 2009 6:44 AM