What Is Silverlight And Do I Need It? - Comments Page 1

Yeah, you're right...Although Novell is developing an implementation of Silverlight, its probably gonna be behind the official Microsoft implementation...but it may be possible that, because Microsoft is involved, it may take over, I mean that it may not be too far behind...Microsoft would want its product to be the king, and it'll sure take all possible steps to achieve this goal. But my vote goes to Adobes Flash anyway :)(No compromises).

Earlier this year I had to reformat/reinstall my XP Pro w/SP3 and IE8. Just for grins I decided to install Silverlight. I was unaware at the time that .NET Framework also had to be installed. No big deal, right? Wrong. I was presented with a choice of 1.1, 2.0, 3.0, 3.5 and 4.0 Beta.

I knew enough to pass on the Beta so I tried 1.1 and it didn't support Silverlight. I uninstalled 1.1 and tried 2.0 but I kept getting error messages. Same with 3.0 and 3.5. Right there I figured it was a deal breaker and I didn't need Silverlight all that bad. For the few Microsoft animations, videos, etc that relied on Silverlight I was able to find 3rd party websites that used Adobe Flash to provide the same or similar information. And Microsoft customer support was no help in figuring out why I couldn't get Silverlight to work.

Some time later on I learned that each new version of .NET built on the previous version(s). Uninstalling an old version caused the new(er) version to have problems. Yet another reason to not install .NET or Silverlight. Too many opportunities for something to go wrong. If I was a developer then maybe it would be worth the hassle. But I'm not and it isn't. :-)

This is just another example of Microsoft trying to monopolize part and/or all of the computer industry. Thanks for Linux. Is Adobe going to update Flash to read this new site programming?

And where does this leave us who use Mac OS? Flash runs great there. Silverlight? I think not.

I installed silverlight. Had no problems and it is there when i need it. It is a small program.
Why not install it?

I spent a couple of days trying to watch movies on instant Netflix (which I'd been doing just fine for months), only to be told I needed Silverlight. I installed it and uninstalled it several times and never could get it to work. Finally, my son put Firefox on the computer and I was able to watch movies, but without Silverlight.

This maybe a side issue, but why does M$ want us to use Silverlight, IE and all of their "free" software instead of FF and Flash etc. If it's all free anyway what do they have to gain?

EDITOR'S NOTE: If everyone used MS software, all the other guys would go out of business. Good for MS, right?

Yes, Netflix has chosen Silverlight. I use X
P & Mozilla - a very unusual combination only used by several million people perhaps. Multiple attempts made, silverBlight cannot be installed. light is just more MS Bloat.

I did an update for NetFlix, although I was warned that it would stop working on Windows XP, as I recall. And that there is no turning back. Still, I did it. It didn't work with FireFox so I was ticked. I had to use a different computer with Vista to watch NetFlix. Then one day I tried NetFlix on Chrome with my XP computer. No problems!

I installed Silverlight - briefly. I uninstalled it for personal reasons.

Windows Update-which I have set to
'notify me', not download or install - updates available-it is 'recommended' I believe-as is IE8 and SP3. In checking the box for SP3 - I get a lecture every time WU runs. I have checked 'do not show this again' box for Silverlight and IE8 -but it always comes up anyways making me all the more suspicious.

I am resistant because I do not trust new applications and versions. Vista is a prime example as is Chrome now being preinstalled in some systems. I simply do not know enough about IT to make some decisions so when in doubt I don't.

I have found w/free and paid-for versions of software an 'upgrade' is sometimes a downgrade talked up by the company as a supposed 'improvement'.

I have a Mac and wanted to watch Netflix on my laptop. I was not allowed to do this due to my OS until they implemented Silverlight. So, yes, I have succumbed. Honestly, it doesn't seem necessary.

Silverlight does not work with my AMD Athlon Processor bought in 2002. It seems there are technical reasons which has something to do with the internals of the AMD Athlon Processor. Maybe there aren't many users with this processor, but it's a problem for us.

Just say no to Silverlight and everything Microsoft.

Go Linux!

here lately my computer won't shut down at night....silverlight is on it ...i don't know how it got there....i don't use it that i know of....i don't watch movies, etc.....should i uninstall it....

EDITOR'S NOTE: I don't think Silverlight is the cause of your shutdown problems. But you can remove it. Go to Control Panel, select Add or Remove Programs, and follow the prompts.

What a cool and helpful article. I am about to uninstall Silverlight from my netbook, and I am sure I won't look back.

I am a free user, not a Microsoft sheep.

Thanks Bob.

Please put a date on your articles, and thanks for all the useful observations.
Deleting the Silverlight package from my netbook as well.

I had to set up Silverlight for Netflix and I work with Firefox on my Mac so far so good!

Thanks for explaining what Silverlight is for. It's taking up a lot of space on my laptop, and I am now comfortable removing it. Thanks!

I need to see maps from a county website and it requires Silverlight, which requires a password. No PW I choose works, and I really don't want to install it.

But, does that mean I can see the maps?

At home my computer came with silverlight pre-installed, i never use it for anything it just sits there taking up space.

At work im on a work pc and can't install it on the machine here and have never been prompted to do so, so it's not being used nearly as much as microsoft apparently thinks it is.

When it comes to third parties like netflix making it the only way one could watch their online"play now" movies kinda angers me... something that isn't that big a deal shouldn't be forced on people like that. And now comcast "they have a play now type feature to watch old tv episodes of current and past tv programs" is also slowly forcing people to get silverlight or they can't watch...

And microsoft is doing this buy paying these companies to make it a manditory update. Chaulk it up to another Hostile takeover/future fail from microsoft..