Silverlight is a lightweight browser plug–in that frees your code from the traditional confines of the browser. It is a rules–changing, groundbreaking technology that allows you to run rich client applications right inside the browser. Even more impressively, it is able to host true .NET applications in non–Microsoft browsers (like Firefox) and on non–Microsoft platforms (like Mac OS X). Silverlight is evolving fast, and you need a reliable guidebook to make sense of it.

Microsoft Silverlight is a cross-browser, cross-platform plug-in like Flash that delivers rich interactive applications for the Web. Silverlight offers a flexible programming model that supports a number of different programming languages and techniques (making it cross-platform) and all major browsers (cross-browser support). Silverlight 1.1 Recipes is brought to the market immediately surrounding the actual Silverlight 1.1 RTM to target developers interested in practical, ready-to-use code pieces. Readers will enjoy the "cut-and-paste" ready solutions that give lots of bang for their buck.

See the power of Silverlight in action Learn the building blocks of animation in Silverlight 2 Includes over 180 example Silverlight projects Silverlight is a phenomenally powerful animation tool, but few people know how to unlock its potential. Foundation Silverlight 2 Animation gives you the keys to all of that power. It covers the basics of animation—that is, Silverlight's storyboards and animations, which are used to provide interactivity to Silverlight applications. You'll take an in-depth look at double, point, and color animations. You'll also learn the difference between linear, spline, and discrete keyframes, and how they affect your objects as they move. But it doesn't stop there. You'll go well beyond those simple timeline-based animations and learn how to create purely code-based animations. You'll use vectors to make objects move and bounce off boundaries and each other. You'll explore particle systems, kinematics, and collisions. You'll also learn how to use trigonometry to animate objects and simulate 3D motion in a 2D environment. The essential trigonometry required to create complex motion is simplified and explained through a series of fascinating and fun examples that can be incorporated into your own applications, games, and experiments. Whether you're already familiar with Silverlight and you want to learn how to open it up, a Flash developer interested in expanding your skill set, or a web developer looking to take the next step into rich interactive application development, this book will bring you up to speed on Silverlight 2 and show you what it can do. From techniques for creating frame-based animations to learning how to simulate 3D in a 2D environment, there is something here to satisfy anyone's appetite for animation and interactivity.

Silverlight is a lightweight browser plug–in that frees your code from the traditional confines of the browser. It's a rules–changing, groundbreaking technology that allows you to run rich client applications right inside the browser. Even more impressively, it's able to host true .NET applications in non–Microsoft browsers (like Firefox) and on non–Microsoft platforms (like Mac OS X). Silverlight is still new and evolving fast, and you need a reliable guidebook to make sense of it. With four–color graphics and screenshots throughout, Pro Silverlight 2 in VB 2008 is the perfect reference: you'll learn about the features that put Silverlight in direct competition with Adobe Flash, such as rich support for 2D drawing, animations, and media playback, and best of all, you'll experience the plumbing of .NET and the design model of Windows Presentation Foundation through Silverlight—all of the same .NET technology that developers use to design next–generation Windows applications. Author Matthew MacDonald provides an expertly crafted tutorial written from professional developer to professional developer. You'll learn to create rich media applications using Silverlight in the environment you're most productive in–no matter what the target platform.

Pro Silverlight 1.1 is the perfect reference: you’ll learn about the features that put Silverlight in direct competition with Adobe Flash and, best of all, you’ll experience the plumbing of .NET and the design model of WPF through Silverlight—-all of the same .NET technology that developers use to design next-generation Windows applications. Author Matthew MacDonald provides an expertly crafted tutorial written from professional developer to professional developer. You’ll learn how to create rich media applications using Silverlight across browsers and platforms.

Microsoft Silverlight 2 is a new development platform designed to make the development of rich Internet applications (RIAs) far easier than has previously been possible. Pro Silverlight for the Enterprise addresses the question of how you can bring Silverlight 2 to your company to provide rich Internet experiences that will interface cleanly with your existing application architecture. The book begins with a clear discussion of why Silverlight is such a good choice for developing RIAs and the implications that this has for your development decisions. The options available will be demonstrated by constructing a simple web–based training portal for a fictional enterprise, which will be extended and altered to demonstrate the techniques and methods that you have available to you. This includes accessing data using WCF and LINQ, and considering how best to deploy your finished Silverlight application when it is complete. The book also discusses the future of Silverlight for mobile and how to plan for its release. This book is unique in that it focuses on how Silverlight can be applied in today's business environment rather than simply delving into the product's syntax and grammar in isolation. Silverlight is discussed in context with consideration given to security, scalability, and deployment. As such this book makes an excellent addition to any Silverlight library and extends your knowledge into practical areas that are rarely discussed.

Professional Visual Studio 2008 Microsoft Visual Studio 2008 is the latest version in the ongoing evolution of the Integrated Development Environment (IDE), and this resource examines the diverse facets of the IDE—from common tasks to intricate functions to the powerful tools that accompany the main code editing and design windows. Written by a unique author duo and offering an in-depth look at the powerful and fascinating features and techniques of the IDE, this book explores each aspect of the development life cycle from the perspective of how Visual Studio 2008 can make your life easier. Each chapter is packed with examples that illustrate uses for various tools, commands, and shortcuts of Visual Studio 2008. You will gradually learn to identify where a feature is used, conclude how you can use it to its fullest potential, and then seamlessly apply that feature to help solve real-world problems.