Microsoft SilverLight Interview Questions & FAQs

Questions and answers for SilverLight.

1. General

1.1 What is Microsoft Silverlight?

Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform, and cross-device plug-in for delivering the next generation of .NET based media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web. By using Silverlight's support for .NET, High Definition video, cost-effective advanced streaming, unparalleled high-resolution interactivity with Deep Zoom technology, and controls, businesses can reach out to new markets across the Web, desktop, and devices

1.2 Is Silverlight free?

Yes, Microsoft has made the Silverlight browser plug-in freely available for all supported platforms and browsers.

1.3 What is the long-term goal or vision for Silverlight?

Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform, and cross-device plug-in for delivering the next generation of .NET based media experiences and rich interactive applications for the Web. Silverlight offers a flexible programming model that supports AJAX, VB, C#, IronPython, and IronRuby, and integrates with existing Web applications. By using Expression Studio and Visual Studio, designers and developers can collaborate more effectively using the skills they have today to light up the Web of tomorrow. By leveraging Silverlight's support for .NET, High Definition video, cost-effective advanced streaming, unparalleled high-resolution interactivity with Deep Zoom technology, and controls, businesses can reach out to new markets across the Web, desktop, and devices.

1.4 What is new in Silverlight 2 Beta 1?

Features of the Beta 1 include:

• UI Framework: Silverlight 2 Beta 1 includes a UI framework that makes building rich Web applications much easier. It provides a powerful graphics and animation engine, as well as rich support for higher-level UI capabilities like controls, layout management, data-binding, styles, and template skinning. Silverlight 2 is a compatible subset of the features in the full .NET Framework, and enables developers to re-use skills, controls, code and content to build both rich cross browser web applications, as well as rich desktop Windows applications.
• Rich Controls: Silverlight 2 Beta 1 includes a rich set of built-in controls that developers and designers can use to quickly build applications. This upcoming Beta1 release includes core form controls (TextBox, CheckBox, RadioButton, etc), built-in layout management panels (StackPanel, Grid, Panel, etc), common functionality controls (Slider, ScrollViewer, Calendar, DatePicker, etc), and data manipulation controls (DataGrid, ListBox, etc). The built-in controls support a rich control templating model, which enables developers and designers to collaborate together to build highly polished solutions.
• Networking Support: Silverlight 2 Beta 1includes rich networking support. It includes out of the box support for calling REST, WS*/SOAP, POX, RSS, and standard HTTP services. It supports cross domain network access (enabling Silverlight clients to directly access resources and data from resources on the web). Beta 1 also includes built-in sockets networking support.
• Rich Base Class Library: Silverlight 2 Beta 1 includes a rich .NET base class library of functionality (collections, IO, generics, threading, globalization, XML, local storage, etc). It includes rich APIs that enable HTML DOM/JavaScript integration with .NET code. It also includes LINQ and LINQ to XML library support (enabling easy transformation and querying of data), as well as local data caching and storage support. The .NET APIs in Silverlight are a compatible subset of the full .NET Framework.
• Deep Zoom: The new Deep Zoom technology in Silverlight 2 Beta 1 allows users to see images on the Web like they never have before. The smooth in-place zooming and panning that Deep Zoom allows is based on advanced technology from Microsoft Research and raises the bar on what image viewing should be. For the Silverlight developer, using a Deep Zoom image is really simple since it behaves like any other image in Silverlight and can be manipulated with standard Silverlight metaphors such as Storyboards.
  

1.5 Which platforms and browsers will Silverlight 2 support?

Silverlight will support all major browsers on both Mac OS X and on Windows. Particular care is being taken to account for differences in platform and browser capabilities to ensure a consistent experience including experiences on Firefox, Safari, and Internet Explorer. Microsoft will extend the support for Silverlight on Linux through a partnership with Novell.

1.6 How will Silverlight be distributed by Microsoft?

Microsoft designed Silverlight to fit a broad range of uses that require reach and a compelling user experience. Both third-party customers around the world and internal customers at Microsoft continue to embrace Silverlight. Examples of worldwide third-party customers and partners include ET Online, NBA, Major League Baseball, World Wrestling Entertainment, Home Shopping Network from USA; QuickSilver from France; BMW and Vodafone from Germany; Miniclip and British Library from UK; Baidu from China, to name a few. Examples of internal Microsoft customers include are MSN, Halo 3, and www.microsoft.com, which are leading global websites that serve millions of customers worldwide. In addition, Microsoft Update and Windows System Update Service also serve as Silverlight distribution channels. And this is just the beginning. With an exciting customer pipeline, like the Beijing 2008 Olympics, Silverlight is clearly on an upward rising adoption curve.

1.7 Will I need more memory, a faster processor, or a better Graphics Processing Unit (GPU)?

Microsoft designed Silverlight with the ability to deliver high-fidelity experiences on the broadest set of system configurations. Some features, such as HD video, may benefit from newer personal computers. Final system requirements will be available at release.

1.8 Which devices will be supported?

Device support is coming soon.

1.9 How do I verify Silverlight is installed?

Verify your installation by visiting the Silverlight installation page.

1.10 How can I deploy Silverlight on my corporate network?

The Silverlight Deployment Guide thoroughly details all the steps for rolling out Silverlight on a corporate network.