Programming WPF, 2nd Edition

Appendix E. Silverlight

WPF provides a rich model for creating user interfaces. At the core of WPF is the XAML markup language. The use of XAML to describe user interfaces as well as some interaction is a model that works well for developing desktop applications. Formerly known as WPF/E, Silverlight leverages XAML markup to create user interfaces for use as part of web application development. As you will see in this appendix, you will be able to take the skills learned here and apply them to create web content.

Why Silverlight?

The World Wide Web is growing up before our eyes. No, that is not quite correct. The users of the Web are growing up. They are no longer content to fly from one static page to another hoping to read some new tidbit of information. Today's users want a better Web.

When I received my first copy of WordPerfect many years ago, it came with a huge user manual. Before I could really work with it, I needed to be instructed in how it worked. Learning all the arcane key combinations to perform simple tasks like bolding words, printing, and saving files was unavoidable.

As operating systems have evolved into the graphical powerhouses that we use today, the need for user manuals has diminished but has not disappeared. Many applications (e.g., Microsoft Office, iTunes, and Acrobat Reader) supply user interfaces that are intuitive enough that users can dive right in to do most of what they want to do. This is possible because the mouse/keyboard combination, along with ...