Comments on: Is Silverlight the problem with ITV Player? Microsoft, you have a problem. http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html Tech writing blog Sun, 12 Feb 2012 21:04:12 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.1 By: B. A. Erick http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-299988 B. A. Erick Sun, 07 Nov 2010 03:09:11 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-299988 I subscribe to AHLLive, which used Flash last year and for several emails this year swore they still did, but if I removed Silverlite from my computer, the video streaming said it required silverlite. Last week they finally said it requires the latest version of Silverlite, which I have. Last year, I hardly had a stutter because I could adjust the buffer size. Silverlite give you zero options. I get constant stuttering and pixeliation. I never got pixelation from flash, only until I increased the buffer. Also, the other thing I hate is that the time bar and cursor do not hide when left alone in full screen mode. This may be in the websites programming, but it appears to the end user as something not ready for prime time. I subscribe to AHLLive, which used Flash last year and for several emails this year swore they still did, but if I removed Silverlite from my computer, the video streaming said it required silverlite. Last week they finally said it requires the latest version of Silverlite, which I have. Last year, I hardly had a stutter because I could adjust the buffer size. Silverlite give you zero options. I get constant stuttering and pixeliation. I never got pixelation from flash, only until I increased the buffer.

Also, the other thing I hate is that the time bar and cursor do not hide when left alone in full screen mode. This may be in the websites programming, but it appears to the end user as something not ready for prime time.

]]> By: Mr.J .WHEELER http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-157600 Mr.J .WHEELER Thu, 14 Jan 2010 01:28:34 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-157600 FIRST THINGS FIST ALWAYS!!! ONE MUST REMEMBER WITHOUT A DOUBT A FLASH [AS IN A BLINK OF A EYE] WILL FOREVER BE BETTER THAN A SILVERLIGHT WORD USEAGE REALLY DEFINE A PRODUCT IN WHAT THE PRODUCT AND COMPANY REPRESENT AND WHAT IT MEANS .MY QUESTION TO MICROSOFT WHAT ARE YOU REALLY DOING WITH THIS PRODUCT AND WHY AT A CONSUMERS EXSPENCE AND TIME I WHICH MEANS THERE IS NOTHING REALLY FREE SILVERLIGHT HAS CAUSED MY COMPUTER TO LOCKUP WITH MSN WOW. THANK GOD FOR THE BACK UP . I FEEL THERE ARE TO MANY ISSUES WITH SILVERLIGHT IT WORKS WHEN IT WANT TO OR IS IT WHEN YOU WANT IT TO .ADOBE IS NUMBER 1.[PERIOD] THAKS FOR ASING FOR MY COMMENT.BUT THE REAL COMMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE WHAT DO YOU AND ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS??? THANK YOU AGAIN YOUR YOUR TIME. MR.J.WHEELER FIRST THINGS FIST ALWAYS!!! ONE MUST REMEMBER WITHOUT A DOUBT A FLASH [AS IN A BLINK OF A EYE] WILL FOREVER BE BETTER THAN A SILVERLIGHT WORD USEAGE REALLY DEFINE A PRODUCT IN WHAT THE PRODUCT AND COMPANY REPRESENT AND WHAT IT MEANS .MY QUESTION TO MICROSOFT WHAT ARE YOU REALLY DOING WITH THIS PRODUCT AND WHY AT A CONSUMERS EXSPENCE AND TIME I WHICH MEANS THERE IS NOTHING REALLY FREE SILVERLIGHT HAS CAUSED MY COMPUTER TO LOCKUP WITH MSN WOW. THANK GOD FOR THE BACK UP . I FEEL THERE ARE TO MANY ISSUES WITH SILVERLIGHT IT WORKS WHEN IT WANT TO OR IS IT WHEN YOU WANT IT TO .ADOBE IS NUMBER 1.[PERIOD] THAKS FOR ASING FOR MY COMMENT.BUT THE REAL COMMENT NEEDS TO BE MADE WHAT DO YOU AND ARE YOU GOING TO DO ABOUT THIS??? THANK YOU AGAIN YOUR YOUR TIME. MR.J.WHEELER

]]> By: Pete http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-143875 Pete Tue, 22 Sep 2009 21:38:44 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-143875 @Clyde Davies No, I wouldn't predicate technical decisions on my own "technological hang-ups", and I continue to recommend using MS technology for most things (especially development tools!). I do, however, base platform decisions upon more important things such as market share and potential reach. Given that the Windows market share for smartphones was estimated at sub 10% less than six months ago (see <a href="http://www.itwire.com/content/view/27040/127/" title="MS smartphone market share" rel="nofollow">), meeting points 1 & 2 (as Adobe have) is IMO essential to achieve sufficient penetration before we consider a major technology change. I'm aware that the RIM devices now support Silverlight, but that could change at any point in time (did you know that MS used to produce a version of IE for the Mac, btw?). Fortunately, I don't have to worry about my boss reading this as he already has. @Clyde Davies

No, I wouldn’t predicate technical decisions on my own “technological hang-ups”, and I continue to recommend using MS technology for most things (especially development tools!). I do, however, base platform decisions upon more important things such as market share and potential reach.

Given that the Windows market share for smartphones was estimated at sub 10% less than six months ago (see ), meeting points 1 & 2 (as Adobe have) is IMO essential to achieve sufficient penetration before we consider a major technology change. I’m aware that the RIM devices now support Silverlight, but that could change at any point in time (did you know that MS used to produce a version of IE for the Mac, btw?).

Fortunately, I don’t have to worry about my boss reading this as he already has.

]]> By: Clyde Davies http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-143746 Clyde Davies Mon, 21 Sep 2009 14:08:12 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-143746 <blockquote>Until an absolute minimum of points 1 & 2 are met, or MS conclusively win, I will continue to ensure that the company I work for doesn’t use Silverlight. After all, I want to be able to use my own products from home – and none of my non-work-related machines run Windows.</blockquote> So, you would predicate the technical decisions made by your business mainly on your own technological hang-ups and/or lifestyle decisions? If I were you I'd hope my boss wasn't reading this. :-/

Until an absolute minimum of points 1 & 2 are met, or MS conclusively win, I will continue to ensure that the company I work for doesn’t use Silverlight. After all, I want to be able to use my own products from home – and none of my non-work-related machines run Windows.

So, you would predicate the technical decisions made by your business mainly on your own technological hang-ups and/or lifestyle decisions?

If I were you I’d hope my boss wasn’t reading this. :-/

]]> By: Pete http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-143639 Pete Sun, 20 Sep 2009 09:50:00 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-143639 @John Allwright, Let me correct *you* on a factual error. Silverlight is not cross-platform in any meaningful sense. If you're in any doubt about this, please try to use it on a platform other than Windows or OSX. Marketing is great - reality is different. I regard this as a great shame personally, because in most respects I'd like Silverlight to succeed; in my mind, it's the closest thing we have to meeting the technical requirements and the vision for the product is pretty good. However, it's completely unacceptable that it's inherently tied to a proprietary and heavily tied-down programming framework [.NET]. Oh, and the attempts to push it on me every time I go to an MS website don't help my thoughts on this, either. Commercially, I'm a technical architect for a .NET shop and have the usual MCxx qualifications (which are a joke, frankly - they test your knowledge of MS's current Right Way, not reality). However, after 20+ years in the industry and being repeatedly sh@fted by Microsoft's shennigans, I avoid MS wherever possible on the basis that "fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me" etc. If you really want Silverlight to succeed because it's good technology (which it is) rather than because it drives the vision of tying people to Microsoft, then please 1. Cut it loose from Windows and 2. Release *YOUR OWN* browser plugins with feature-parity to the Windows/IE plugin for at least Linux and Symbian S60. 3. Release said plugin under a suitable OS licence e.g. MIT or Apache Given that MS are such shining paradigms of decoupling the UI and the business logic it shouldn't be that hard really, should it? Have you managed to get MS Dynamics CRM4 to run in a browser other than IE yet, by the way? Until an absolute minimum of points 1 & 2 are met, or MS conclusively win, I will continue to ensure that the company I work for doesn't use Silverlight. After all, I want to be able to use my own products from home - and none of my non-work-related machines run Windows. @John Allwright,

Let me correct *you* on a factual error.

Silverlight is not cross-platform in any meaningful sense. If you’re in any doubt about this, please try to use it on a platform other than Windows or OSX. Marketing is great – reality is different.

I regard this as a great shame personally, because in most respects I’d like Silverlight to succeed; in my mind, it’s the closest thing we have to meeting the technical requirements and the vision for the product is pretty good. However, it’s completely unacceptable that it’s inherently tied to a proprietary and heavily tied-down programming framework [.NET]. Oh, and the attempts to push it on me every time I go to an MS website don’t help my thoughts on this, either.

Commercially, I’m a technical architect for a .NET shop and have the usual MCxx qualifications (which are a joke, frankly – they test your knowledge of MS’s current Right Way, not reality). However, after 20+ years in the industry and being repeatedly sh@fted by Microsoft’s shennigans, I avoid MS wherever possible on the basis that “fool me once, shame on you, fool me twice, shame on me” etc.

If you really want Silverlight to succeed because it’s good technology (which it is) rather than because it drives the vision of tying people to Microsoft, then please

1. Cut it loose from Windows and
2. Release *YOUR OWN* browser plugins with feature-parity to the Windows/IE plugin for at least Linux and Symbian S60.
3. Release said plugin under a suitable OS licence e.g. MIT or Apache

Given that MS are such shining paradigms of decoupling the UI and the business logic it shouldn’t be that hard really, should it? Have you managed to get MS Dynamics CRM4 to run in a browser other than IE yet, by the way?

Until an absolute minimum of points 1 & 2 are met, or MS conclusively win, I will continue to ensure that the company I work for doesn’t use Silverlight. After all, I want to be able to use my own products from home – and none of my non-work-related machines run Windows.

]]> By: John Allwright http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-143170 John Allwright Mon, 14 Sep 2009 22:29:29 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-143170 James, Let me correct you on several factual errors. Silverlight is developed as a cross-platform, cross-browser plug-in from the get-go. If you're in any doubt about our commitment to cross platform I suggest you check out some of the comments from the editor of MacWorld http://twitter.com/jsnell : "Seriously, this NFL video (Sliverlight) is so much smoother than the "premium" MLB video (Flash), it's like night and day." and "Watching SNF on NBC.com. Silverlight has such better video performance than Flash on the Mac, it's not even funny. Earth to Adobe." NBC webcast the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Silverlight and far from dropping Silverlight in July they reaffirmed their commitment to the platform for major sporting events including the Vancouver winter Olympics and switching NFL games from Flash to Silverlight smooth streaming. Check out some of the responses to the NFL experience on twitter http://search.twitter.com/search?q=nfl+silverlight John Allwright Silverlight Product Manager Microsoft James,

Let me correct you on several factual errors.

Silverlight is developed as a cross-platform, cross-browser plug-in from the get-go. If you’re in any doubt about our commitment to cross platform I suggest you check out some of the comments from the editor of MacWorld http://twitter.com/jsnell :

“Seriously, this NFL video (Sliverlight) is so much smoother than the “premium” MLB video (Flash), it’s like night and day.”

and “Watching SNF on NBC.com. Silverlight has such better video performance than Flash on the Mac, it’s not even funny. Earth to Adobe.”

NBC webcast the 2008 Beijing Olympics in Silverlight and far from dropping Silverlight in July they reaffirmed their commitment to the platform for major sporting events including the Vancouver winter Olympics and switching NFL games from Flash to Silverlight smooth streaming.

Check out some of the responses to the NFL experience on twitter
http://search.twitter.com/search?q=nfl+silverlight

John Allwright
Silverlight Product Manager
Microsoft

]]> By: James http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-138875 James Fri, 31 Jul 2009 10:55:36 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-138875 Silverlight is the problem and as for the comment that "Silverlight has led the way for streaming" that is utter rubbish! after leaving realplayer for our streaming requirements the company I work started to use flash and that was back in 2002. Silverlight is an encumbered product that is not developed with cross platform deployment in mind which in todays wired world it has to be. Flash is supported on many devices and operating systems where Silverlight is basically a Microsoft/Windows XP/Vista only product. Microsoft has deep enough pockets to make sure cross platform support is there but decide not to along with fixing the many bugs that still continue. Why should content creators use such a product that from the start is alienating a good proportion of your audience. Only reason I have seen has been the cash intensives given out by Microsoft. The online Olympic coverage was such an instance and the company in charge of the coverage dropped Silverlight after the Olympics and went back to using flash once the deal had finished. Microsoft should have just spent the money on getting Silverlight to work and not on bribing people to use it. Silverlight is the problem and as for the comment that “Silverlight has led the way for streaming” that is utter rubbish! after leaving realplayer for our streaming requirements the company I work started to use flash and that was back in 2002.

Silverlight is an encumbered product that is not developed with cross platform deployment in mind which in todays wired world it has to be. Flash is supported on many devices and operating systems where Silverlight is basically a Microsoft/Windows XP/Vista only product.

Microsoft has deep enough pockets to make sure cross platform support is there but decide not to along with fixing the many bugs that still continue. Why should content creators use such a product that from the start is alienating a good proportion of your audience. Only reason I have seen has been the cash intensives given out by Microsoft.

The online Olympic coverage was such an instance and the company in charge of the coverage dropped Silverlight after the Olympics and went back to using flash once the deal had finished. Microsoft should have just spent the money on getting Silverlight to work and not on bribing people to use it.

]]> By: Clyde Davies http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-129315 Clyde Davies Sun, 26 Apr 2009 11:08:01 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-129315 And the BBC iPlayer goes from strength to strength in the meanwhile. I'm a beekeeper and there was a program on BBC4 that I missed, so I went onto iPlayer to download it. I hadn't used it for a while and was prompted to install the iPlayer Desktop, which allows a direct download of the program from the BBC's servers instead of a peer-to-peer download. The software is excellent and the experience is fantastic, but somehow I don't think this is all down to the BBC preferring Adobe AIR over Silverlight. And the BBC iPlayer goes from strength to strength in the meanwhile. I’m a beekeeper and there was a program on BBC4 that I missed, so I went onto iPlayer to download it. I hadn’t used it for a while and was prompted to install the iPlayer Desktop, which allows a direct download of the program from the BBC’s servers instead of a peer-to-peer download.

The software is excellent and the experience is fantastic, but somehow I don’t think this is all down to the BBC preferring Adobe AIR over Silverlight.

]]> By: sherwin rice http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-129019 sherwin rice Thu, 23 Apr 2009 10:46:49 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-129019 Next time you experience this problem, try using an http traffic sniffing tool like Fiddler to grab the stream url of the itv show that's buffering, and then open the stream directly in windows media player to eliminate Silverlight from the equation; it would be interesting to know if you continue to experience the same video issues. Next time you experience this problem, try using an http traffic sniffing tool like Fiddler to grab the stream url of the itv show that’s buffering, and then open the stream directly in windows media player to eliminate Silverlight from the equation; it would be interesting to know if you continue to experience the same video issues.

]]> By: ian morton http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html/comment-page-1#comment-128945 ian morton Wed, 22 Apr 2009 14:15:21 +0000 http://www.itwriting.com/blog/1334-is-silverlight-the-problem-with-itv-player-microsoft-you-have-a-problem.html#comment-128945 NBC had huge amount of servers, so does the BBC. There may be some coding issues but streaming problems are generally down to the size of the pipes. Silverlight has led the way for streaming, but Flash has other advantages and has rapidly overtaken it. I'm sure that Microsoft will be watching the results. NBC had huge amount of servers, so does the BBC. There may be some coding issues but streaming problems are generally down to the size of the pipes. Silverlight has led the way for streaming, but Flash has other advantages and has rapidly overtaken it. I’m sure that Microsoft will be watching the results.

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