Microsoft revamps Download Center using Silverlight

by Elizabeth Montalbano

May 6, 2008 —

Microsoft continues to eat its own dog food to promote the adoption of its
Silverlight technology.

The company is beta-testing a new version of its Microsoft Download Center
Web site using the technology, a browser plug-in and development runtime for
adding multimedia and high-definition video to Web-based applications.

A visit to the Microsoft
Download Center on Tuesday opened a page inviting users to test the new
site, which Microsoft said is being enhanced by Silverlight.

"We're changing!" the invitation said. "Get a sneak peak at
the new designs we're testing for the Download Center home page and category
pages. We're using Microsoft Silverlight technology to spruce up the site and
make it easier to discover and download Microsoft software."

Microsoft also noted on the invitation that the download of Silverlight is
required to participate in the beta. Download Center is a highly trafficked
Microsoft site where users can download software updates over the Web, as well
as get information about new software downloads the company is offering.

Microsoft unveiled Silverlight last year to compete with Adobe's Flash multimedia
runtime and player; however, Microsoft has optimized Silverlight for HD video
content in particular as a way to differentiate its technology from Flash.

In March at its Microsoft MIX conference in Las Vegas, Microsoft said Silverlight
was logging about 1.5 million downloads per day. However, those downloads include
ones spurred by Microsoft running Silverlight on its own Web sites.

This year Microsoft began in earnest to use Silverlight across its Web site,
and the company even required its use for some keynote presentations it has
shown via webcast. For example, downloading Silverlight was required to view
a keynote speech by Microsoft Chairman and CEO Steve Ballmer at the launch of
Windows Server 2008 in Los Angeles in February.

IDG News Service