So, this is the second part of a 2 part series describing my attempts to install the newest runtime/client technologies from Adobe and Microsoft – Apollo and Silverlight. Yesterday, in part one, I detailed my somewhat difficult, but ultimately successful, installation of Apollo. Today, I will do the same as I attempt to install Silverlight.

As I alluded in the previous post and attempted to clarify in a subsequent comment, this is not intended to be a head-to-head comparison of the 2 products. Like a monkey wrench and a hammer, they are different tools that solve different problems. By the same token, I am not directly comparing the installation experience. Though, I suppose a comparison may be inferred as I am presenting my experience with each as a 2-part article. This, however, is merely a reflection of their relative proximity on the todo list I keep in my head. “Item #43998156 – Attempt to install Apollo… check!, item #43998157 – Attempt to install Silverlight… in progress”.

Silverlight Installation – Ok, here we go (again):

1. I will be attempting to install the browser-based Silverlight runtime into my preferred browser, Firefox (2.0.0.3) on a system running Win XP – SP2 (TabletPC Edition 2005). Because I have previously attempted to install Silverlight, the first thing I want to do is remove any remnants of this installation and start with a clean slate. I should point out that while I describe my initial attempt to install Silverlight as ‘failed’, the original installation of the runtime seemed to be successful. The failure actually occurred when I attempted to view sample content in the player. Ok, I have found my previous installation in the ‘Add or Remove Programs’ panel and have successfully removed it.

2. Next, I navigate to Silverlight ‘Get Started’ page and click on the download link for the appropriate version of the runtime and OS – I selected ‘Microsoft Silverlight 1.1 Alpha – for Windows’. Actually, I clicked the ‘Watch The Getting Started Video’ first, but that isn’t relevant to installing the runtime.

3. I am directed to the EULA page for the product where I accept the terms. I am presented with an ‘Opening Silverlight.1.1alpha.exe’ dialog and I click on ‘Save file’.

4. I find the downloaded file (Silverlight.1.1alpha.exe) and double click on it. Some ‘installing’ pop-ups appear briefly – I look away for a second and now they are gone. Was the installation successful? Now what? A quick check in ‘Add or Remove Programs’ shows that Silverlight is installed, so…

5. My browser is still displaying the EULA page on the MSDN site. I don’t see any links for next steps or to Silverlight samples. I hit the back button and find a ‘gallery’ link near the bottom of the ‘Get Started’ page which I click.

6. I am taken to the ‘Gallery’ page where find samples for my selected version of Silverlight. I choose a puzzle game called ‘Silverlights Out’ which takes me to a download page for an assortment of sample apps. I have the option to ‘View It’ or ‘Download It’ – I choose to view it first. This takes me to the developer’s page for the game where i have the additional option of downloading the source code, but I don’t get the preview I was expecting. I hit the back button and this time choose the ‘Download It’ option.

7. A standard download dialog window appears and I choose to ‘Save to Disk’. I find and double click the downloaded zip file and extract it to a local directory.

8. I find the extracted application which consists of a number of files (and file types) and several subdirectories, unlike the Apollo which delivers its payload as a compiled executable with some external resources.

9. I attempt to open SilverlightsOut.html in Firefox and am greeted with an alert form my AV software, warning me about a hidden extension .js file. As much as it pains me to do so, I choose to ignore the warning and proceed.

10. I am taken to a local copy of the developer’s page where I see a link to ‘Play Silverlights Out 1.1′ – a previous version of the game. I click this, but nothing happens. Hmmm. I open the same page in IE7 to see if perhaps that is the problem. I get the same warning from my AV software, I again choose to ignore it. I click the ‘Play Silverlights Out 1.1′ link and again, nothing. I see an alert in my IE browser chrome that tells me a page error has occurred.

11. I poked around my system a bit and it appears that I don’t have the most recent version of the .Net framework installed and Silverlight alpha 1.1 is .Net dependent. So, I am installing .Net 3.0… this is going to take a few minutes, so I am going to step away for a cup of Jasmine Oolang Tea – BRB

12. Ok, .Net 3.0 is installed and I’ve rebooted my system. Let’s give ‘Silverlights Out’ another go. Nope – same result. Maybe the problem is the game (or page) itself. I find another app on the gallery page called ‘Scribbler’ and try to ‘View It’. Aha! Success!

Well, it appears that the problem I was having earlier was a bug in the ‘Silverlights Out’ game/page and not the Silverlight itself. Still, it would have been helpful for Microsoft to do a better job of screening the apps in their gallery.

So, I now have both the Apollo and Silverlight runtimes installed and working – mission accomplished.

And the winner is?

Heh!