Frustration and confusion continues to surround the ongoing
debate between which programming language to use - Microsoft
Silverlight or upgrade to HTML5. Rumours abound that Microsoft is
planning to abandon Silverlight as momentum for HTML5 solutions
continues to grow. Such a dramatic twist in strategy is unlikely,
Silverlight is not going to go away but it will evolve and shift in
importance.
The times they are a-changin'
Microsoft are changing their approach and moving away from
developing Silverlight as a platform for web applications for
business systems and are instead focusing on Silverlight apps in
Windows phones, games, out of browser applications, and high
performance media apps.
For example, websites which need live video, adaptive smooth
streaming, or DVR functionality would use an embedded Silverlight
application as it will give improved custom functionality and
performance. Silverlight can also do more advanced things that
HTML5 will most likely never be able to do because its purpose is
completely different.
HTML5 is the only true cross-platform solution
Microsoft has been quoted saying that HTML5 is "the only true
cross-platform solution for everything." which seems to settle the
argument and seal HTML5's future as the dominant player in the
immediate future. At MSM Software we are already seeing
clients ask about upgrading from Silverlight to HTML5 and
questioning the wisdom of using Silverlight as the base for future
development as they seek to future-proof their software
applications.
The most noteworthy thing about HTML5 is its use alongside jQuery
within ASP.net MVC framework. This approach is fast, flexible and
highly dynamic and it is definitely the future of web based
application development.
Managing the risk of a Silverlight skills shortage
HTML5 is the new, exciting technology just like Silverlight was
a few years back, but unlike Silverlight it already has the
advantage of having millions of developers who know HTML inside
out. Silverlight will lack such continuity in experience which may
result in application support and maintenance issues.
The future availability of Silverlight talent will become
increasingly scarce as the use of HTML5 becomes more widespread and
Silverlight becomes a niche technology. This challenge is
inevitable as developers focus on building their knowledge and
experience of HTML5 at the expense of Silverlight.
As Microsoft Silverlight's status diminishes organisations will
face challenges resulting from a skills shortage as experts become
more scarce and any planned or, more concerning, unplanned absence
such as annual leave or sickness make an organisation vulnerable to
a single point of failure. As a result many organisations
will put their revenue, reputation and operational performance at
risk with insufficient support of business-critical
applications.
Is it time to upgrade to HTML5? - A strategic IT decision
Over time compatibility with new applications will become an
issue, particularly if internal expertise has left the business and
the downtime or failure of an application, particularly a
business-critical application, may lead to lost revenue and
customer dissatisfaction. Loss of productivity for internal
employees, partners, and even the IT department is likely to
increase as they try to troubleshoot problems.
Organisations need to be aware of such challenges and plan
accordingly. By transferring non-core IT activities to a third
party they can reduce business risk and free up valuable resource
and expertise within their team, and reduce cost by being able to
tap into Silverlight skills as and when they need it.
If you have a business-critical application that is core to your
businesses strategic success then you may seriously consider a
complete rewrite to ensure that you always have a strong pool of
talent to recruit from in the future. If you don't then you may
find your ability to effectively support and maintain your key
software application compromised in the years ahead which may have
a negative impact your long-term competitive advantage.
Contributions by James Turner, BSc (Hons), Support Developer,
MSM Software