Why no Silverlight for Surface RT?

[xFalk]

I just signed up for the Time Warner Cable, TWC-TV stuff so myself and family can watch cable TV on our non-TV devices. No problem setting it up to watch TWC programming via the web browser on the deskttop (w8 with IE10) or my daughter's laptop (Vista with IE 9). But when I tried setting up my wife's Surface RT so she can watch TV programming on it via the browser, I got a message that Silverlight isn't supported on RT. WTF Microsoft? Now until TWC gets around to developing a TWC-TV app for W8 and WP8, like they have for apple and android, we're limited to just desktop and laptop use. Not what I was hoping for. I don't understand why Silverlight cant be supported in RT. Is it supported on the Surface Pro?

 

[iosub]

Good question, I have made this question myself many times. Why does Microsoft support flash on windows rt and does not support their own technology Silverlight?
For your question, windows 8 on surface pro does support Silverlight on desktop mode.

 

[Adenohedron]

There could be a whole bunch of reasons why such as (1) needs to be recompiled to run on ARM architecture, (2) performance issues (maybe it doesn't run very well...so why make it available if it pisses you off), (3) battery life issues. WinRT is also pretty new too so it might be in the works. Not trying to give MS an excuse, I would have thought it would have been baked in too (it should be). As for the surface pro it will support Silverlight. Its full blown Windows 8 Pro, just like a laptop or desktop. Hope that helps!

 

[iosub]

There could be a whole bunch of reasons why such as (1) needs to be recompiled to run on ARM architecture, (2) performance issues (maybe it doesn't run very well...so why make it available if it pisses you off), (3) battery life issues. WinRT is also pretty new too so it might be in the works. Not trying to give MS an excuse, I would have thought it would have been baked in too (it should be). As for the surface pro it will support Silverlight. Its full blown Windows 8 Pro, just like a laptop or desktop. Hope that helps!

Silverlight is actuality running on iMac and windows x86 and x64.

It was prepared for multiplatform.You have it on windows Phone (ARM), (also on windows embedded, Symbian)
If there isn't a Windows RT runtime is just a marketing wrong decision .
Yes we can blame Microsoft.
Btw, flash(actually supported on windows RT) is more battery killer that Silverlight..

 

[ninjaap]

Try setting up remote desktop. You don't have to worry about flash or Silverlight ever again.

 

[GSOgymrat]

I also wondered why they decided not to have Silverlight on Surface RT. Microsoft Office is obviously a very big addition to Windows RT but there are basic Microsoft programs that should have been added too: Silverlight, Photo Gallery and Movie Maker.

 

[iosub]

One of the fails of windows RT is that they miss corporate needs. There are a lot of companies with LOB apps running on Silverlight.. Silverlight was and is the choice of LOB apps, HTML5 does not have the power of Silverlight, and winRT or windows store apps are no powerful enough yet.
Very bad decision from,Microsoft

 

[ninjaap]

One of the fails of windows RT is that they miss corporate needs. There are a lot of companies with LOB apps running on Silverlight.. Silverlight was and is the choice of LOB apps, HTML5 does not have the power of Silverlight, and winRT or windows store apps are no powerful enough yet.
Very bad decision from,Microsoft

You don't think it was intentional? Pro was obviously intended for corporate not RT.

 

[Jrexxx]

Aren't all WP7 apps built on Silverlight?

 

[ninjaap]

Maybe it has something to do with developers having to compile x86 machines first then recompile for ARM. Probably would've been a different story if they were porting from WP first then to RT.

 

[bawboh86]

Aren't all WP7 apps built on Silverlight?

WPF. Very similar, but with some slight differences, mainly the UI is written in XAML. You COULD write them in Silverlight, but most people didn't bother. And the Silverlight it DID use was a Silverlight Mobile version, so not quite the same there, either.

Also, I think there's no Silverlight on RT because sometimes, Microsoft's right hand has NO IDEA what the left hand is doing.

 

[mms-pc]

I strongly suggest you send a mail to TWC, asking them to develop an app exclusively for Windows RT, so Windows RT users can be covered.

 

[nasellok]

This is the only reason I have to even pick up my Ipad anymore - the TWC app. It shouldn't be that difficult for them to port their ios, and android apps over - they are already compiled for ARM architecture - the only reason they possibly will not is because they are lazy, and they want to leave us windows RT users behind, and only support standard windows 8, which in my opinion is just a fail on MS's part for not supporting their own software (Silverlight).

 

[inteller]

Silverlight is going away, it was never optimized for low power devices. The version on WP7/WP8 uses a form of it that -was- optimized for touch/low power but functionality is more limited. Silverlight also needs a thick managed code base to be installed on every client. HTML5 is the way forward and WinRT embraces more of that that Silverlight.

 

[iosub]

Silverlight is going away, it was never optimized for low power devices. The version on WP7/WP8 uses a form of it that -was- optimized for touch/low power but functionality is more limited. Silverlight also needs a thick managed code base to be installed on every client. HTML5 is the way forward and WinRT embraces more of that that Silverlight.

So is flash and is supported on windows RT. Why not Silverlight?

The point here is LOB apps that have been developed on Silverlight since 2009 and are developing. Don't forget that Microsoft is going to support until 2020 (public announce from Microsoft)
So there good points to support Silverlight on windows RT.
Also html5 does not have the power of Silverlight for LOB (line of business apps)
TThere are other sSilverlight technology like video streaming that are supported on ios and not on WP....

 

[HeyCori]

Microsoft won't admit it (yet) but Silverlight is dead.

 

[inteller]

So is flash and is supported on windows RT. Why not Silverlight?

The point here is LOB apps that have been developed on Silverlight since 2009 and are developing. Don't forget that Microsoft is going to support until 2020 (public announce from Microsoft)
So there good points to support Silverlight on windows RT.
Also html5 does not have the power of Silverlight for LOB (line of business apps)
TThere are other sSilverlight technology like video streaming that are supported on ios and not on WP....

Microsoft's message to businesses is to migrate to WinRT. Before you even say it, yes this is intended to sell copies of Win8, that's what Microsoft is in the business of anyways. If businesses want to continue using Win7/SL they are welcome to but that is not where new development efforts are being concentrated.

 

[iosub]

Microsoft's message to businesses is to migrate to WinRT. Before you even say it, yes this is intended to sell copies of Win8, that's what Microsoft is in the business of anyways. If businesses want to continue using Win7/SL they are welcome to but that is not where new development efforts are being concentrated.

Right now there are not enough components for WinRT.. If you compare for example telerik controls for Silverlight and WinRT.. We will need at least 1 more year to have the same quality of controls for winRT.

So if Microsoft wants to sell windowsRT on corporate companies, they need compatibility with current apps, and there are many apps on companies done on SL. For example SharePoint 2010 it does not run on WindowsRT! Did you know that ?

Sorry but Microsoft is wrong on the strategy.. If corps can't run there current apps (SharePoint for example) on WindowsRT why they should buy a windowsRT tablet that have few apps instead an iPAD ?..

 

[johninsj]

Microsoft won't admit it (yet) but Silverlight is dead.

They already hinted it was EOL (or more accurately, evolving to XAML) Enterprise Efficiency - Andy Patrizio - Silverlight's End Means a New Beginning

 

[inteller]

Right now there are not enough components for WinRT.. If you compare for example telerik controls for Silverlight and WinRT.. We will need at least 1 more year to have the same quality of controls for winRT.

So if Microsoft wants to sell windowsRT on corporate companies, they need compatibility with current apps, and there are many apps on companies done on SL. For example SharePoint 2010 it does not run on WindowsRT! Did you know that ?

Sorry but Microsoft is wrong on the strategy.. If corps can't run there current apps (SharePoint for example) on WindowsRT why they should buy a windowsRT tablet that have few apps instead an iPAD ?..

give me a break dude, when Silverlight first came out there were no controls for it either.