
OpenSilver – a plugin-free, open-source reimplementation of Silverlight - jakobdabo
https://www.opensilver.net/
======
jagged-chisel
OpenSilver looks like a fun effort. I wonder, though, if it's commercially
viable (just out of curiosity.)

Wikipedia [1] says:

> In July of 2015 a Microsoft blog post finally clarified matters: "...we
> encourage companies that are using Silverlight for media to begin the
> transition to DASH/MSE/CENC/EME based designs". Microsoft plans to terminate
> Silverlight support on October 12, 2021.

How widespread is adoption of Silverlight? Could OpenSilver become someone's
bread & butter by 12 Oct 2021?

1 -
[https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Silverlight](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Microsoft_Silverlight)

~~~
app4soft
> _How widespread is adoption of Silverlight?_

From Wikipedia:

> _As of 2015, Silverlight was not available on Android or iOS, the most
> prevalent operating systems on the mobile market._

Fun fact: in 2008 it was announced that Silverlight would be available for
Nokia's Series40 phones and Series60 (SymbianOS) smartphones.[0]

In 2010 (ten years ago from now!) it finally released for Symbian 9.x.[1,2]

[0]
[https://web.archive.org/web/20130615150307/http://blog.anta....](https://web.archive.org/web/20130615150307/http://blog.anta.net/2008/03/04/nokia-
to-enable-silverlight/)

[1] [http://on10.net/blogs/sarahintampa/Silverlight-for-
Symbian-P...](http://on10.net/blogs/sarahintampa/Silverlight-for-Symbian-
Plugin-Now-Available/)

[2]
[http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/11777_Silverlight_a...](http://www.allaboutsymbian.com/news/item/11777_Silverlight_arrive_for_the_S60.php)

------
skrowl
If I recall correctly, not being able to do a plugin free version of
Silverlight is one of the reasons Microsoft invented Blazor (
[https://dotnet.microsoft.com/apps/aspnet/web-
apps/blazor](https://dotnet.microsoft.com/apps/aspnet/web-apps/blazor) ).

The devs listed it as one of their reasons for "why?" in a community chat.

~~~
Ciantic
Blazor, while a good effort, is still an experiment. Microsoft Office etc. are
React apps, and has one of the most maintained React libraries:
[https://github.com/OfficeDev/office-ui-fabric-
react/](https://github.com/OfficeDev/office-ui-fabric-react/)

I will believe the Blazor effort if they start rewriting Fabric UI components
with Blazor.

~~~
luxuryballs
When I see how absurdly complicated these front-end JS frameworks are it makes
me really hope that Blazor can deliver. But for some reason it also feels
similar to times in the past where a word for promising tech was never more
than a word. But please work, I don’t need or want two routing implementations
and an entire MVC stack to manage on the damn client...

~~~
JamesBarney
I've now done two small client projects in blazor(server side) and it's
amazing for small to medium sized cruddy apps with a small user base. I

On the fist project I was able to build out small apps almost twice as fast as
react. And this was with 1 day of previous blazor experience before the first
project.

------
thrownaway954
WOW!!! although i despised silverlight, this is some accomplishment you guys
have done. very impressive.

~~~
LadyCailin
What is your complaint about silver light? From a user perspective, the only
issue I had with it was that you had to install yet another software plugin.
But if it’s invisible to end users, I don’t see an issue. Though maybe you
developed in it?

~~~
zaat
I honestly don't know if that's a silverlight issue or implementation problem,
but having to work with admin consoles implemented in silverlight in Microsoft
product I can say they offer awful experience.

Loading time is terrible, movement between fields is clunky and if you use tab
to pass fields your input will be deleted. Left clicks are not a thing. Moving
back and forth lose state. Responsive design is not a thing.

I'm waiting so long for it to reach end of life already.

~~~
ygra
Most of those things happen regardless of UI tech, in HTML as well. That's
less an argument against a particular framework, but rather an argument to not
build shoddy UIs.

~~~
zaat
It is way worse than your average HTML. Again, I'm not sure if those defects
are the framework faults or the UI implementation, but deleting input from
field when pressing tab isn't something I encountered in any HTML interface.
Loading time is also similar to a desktop 1st person shooter, not to HTML.

------
rootlocus
> OpenSilver is maintained by Userware and is not affiliated with Microsoft.

Click download

> Please sign with your Microsoft account:

What gives?

~~~
duiker101
Azure SSO? [https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-
directory/mana...](https://docs.microsoft.com/en-us/azure/active-
directory/manage-apps/what-is-single-sign-on)

------
claylevering
Why would you do this to us?

~~~
tasogare
Silverlight had a nice API. For someone with C# and XAML skills, it can be way
easier and faster to work with than HTML5 et al.

------
s_y_n_t_a_x
Wow, never thought I'd see Silverlight pop back into the mix.

edit: I actually have no problem with it since it's opensource.

Really cool project, great job!

~~~
songshuu
Ditto. My first reaction was a nearly audible 'ew'

------
lidHanteyk
Some source code is available here:
[https://github.com/cshtml5/CSHTML5](https://github.com/cshtml5/CSHTML5)

------
briandilley
... but why?

~~~
UweSchmidt
under "contact" it says:

    
    
      For migrations-related inquiries (getting a quote,
      analyzing the compatibility of your code, 
      discussing the technology, etc.), please write to: [...]
    

If they can reliably migrate a decent number of vital corporate applications,
then that's a business that can put some food on the table.

~~~
qntmfred
yup. I did a lot of WPF/Silverlight work 2008-2012 and I STILL get emails from
recruiters (one this week even) asking if I want a job doing that kind of
work.

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iRobbery
ah i was hoping it was for osx too :) been reading my ISPs apology for not
support safari now for 2 years i think... they only do silverlight streaming

~~~
zamadatix
They likely do silverlight drm which wouldn't work in a 3rd party
implementation.

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rpj92
Im really excited about this.

