Traces Of Functional War Between SilverLight And Flash

As all web designers know that Flash by Adobe is the most successful browser plug-in that is used and installed at large worldwide in web browsers. Due to its high performance and functionality, Flash has a along history associated with it. Launched a decade back, Flash is recognized as a tool for adding animation and further developing it as a platform for creation of interactive content.

It is wise for ASP. NET developers to make use of flash content to extend their websites. Nonetheless, for doing this, you may need a different design tool along with a new programming language that is ActionScript and Flex as a programming environment. In addition to this, there is no simple way of creating Flash with the help of server-side .NET Code. This means that it is quite hard to integrate ASP.NET and Flash Content than they exist in separate places.

In contrast to this, Silverlight aspires to provide .NET developers an option of developing high quality web content. Silverlight offers a browser plug-in with multiple characteristics similar to Flash. It is SilverLight that supports VB.NET language and make use of different .NET concepts. This results in developers writing a client-side code for the Silverlight software in the language that is utilized for server- side code like C# and VB and thus use similar abstractions that encompasses generics, streams, collections and LINQ.
Contrast between SilverLight and Flash
1. Animation: SilverLight supports WPF animation which is time based and not frame based like Flash. Unlike flash, there is no need of dealing with matrix and calculating varying positions on different frames.

2. Debugging: The process of debugging is quite simple in SilverLight than carrying out in Flash.

3. Development languages: When it comes to Silverlight, a variety of development languages are available. The web developers can make use of JavaScript language and managed code such as C#, VB. NET for development. On the contrary, it is the ActionScript that is utilized as a programming tool when using Flash.

4. Mobile Support: SilverLight application is compatible with mobile devices as a part of service that is built by NBL. This application and media streaming can run conveniently on mobile devices which means that it is much beyond desktop market. However, there are chances of SilverLight to be visible on Symbian OS. On the other hand, Flash is not spread across the desktop or mobile platforms. For Flash to work on cellulars, Flash Lite has to be preinstalled on mobiles.

5. Scalable Video Format: Unlike Flash that doesn't support scalable video formats ranging from HD to mobile phones, Silverlight is highly compatible with them.

6. Hardware-assisted editing, encoding solutions: Not like SilverLight application, Flash doesn't support the hardware-assisted editing as well as encoding solutions.

7. Media Server Licensing: Licensing a media server is very costly in Flash as compared to Silverlight.

8. Sound Processing: This feature is not possible with Silverlight application while you can use some media file for sound processing when using Flash.

9. Abilities: Bitmap filters, Per pixel bitmap editing and Bitmap effects is not possible to do with SilverLight like you can do with Flash.

10. Font: Dealing with fonts is a complex task when using Flash. Whereas SilverLight allows you to embed font information directly in to different projects and further downloading the same information with downloader object.
Conclusion:
Though both of them are the techniques of creating classy graphical UI by enabling animation features. SilverLight by Microsoft is a new product that provides a cross browser way of carrying out animation in the web applications. 4.0 and 5.0 are the latest versions of SilverLight that is used by Web developers today. In opposition, Flash is extensively utilized for adding an animated tinge on the application while supporting all browsers and platforms. It is SilverLight that doesn't function with Mac machine.

Kabir Bedi is an expert web consultant that understands the nuances of website design India With rich technical knowledge and domain expertise, he manages the team of web designers and web developers India. Holding 10 years of experience, he is working with an Indian web design company, Lexolution IT Services.

Author: Kabir Bedi / Posted: 08-04-2011