I'm about to start a new mapping project for a client, and am considering using the ArcGIS Server Silverlight API, since it gives a lot of the required functionality out-of-the-box (especially with the Silverlight Viewer).
A colleague suggested this is a bad idea, since "Silverlight is dead technology". He says that most new internal Microsoft projects are moving to HTML5 instead of Silverlight.
This is a small project so I don't have the luxury of developing everything from scratch, which the JavaScript API entails. Using the Silverlight Viewer I can have the core functionality running almost immediately.
Does anyone have any opinions/inside information on whether Silverlight is a good idea for a new ArcGIS Server website?
Answer
Have you not heard? HTML6 is the latest greatest thing. Why arent you developing in that?
- Moral here is its like buying a new computer. You can always wait for the next best thing, but theres always something better around the corner. (see comments in that post as well).
I also like James Fee summary of Q&A question for UC2011, which is kind of related:
Q: How is Esri planning to support HTML5? A: I love the answer, basically HTML5 is awesome, but they realize that most of their user base is stuck on old versions of IE. Thus as awesome as it can be, it isn’t.
IMO, the safest and most futureproof option will be Javascript, later tapping into HTML5 where need be.
You have not mentioned your requirements so I am not sure why you think you will have to do so much more work with Javascript.
Can you not leverage frameworks like Dojo/ExtJS to do the heavy lifting?
These frameworks compliment Javascript to match Silverlight, no?
I am a Flex fan myself, but have dabbled with Silverlight and like it.
Your application will need a makeover in a few years anyhow - if you can code in it, shoot for Silverlight!
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