Excluded is what I meant. I don't think Silverlight will be part of future Windows Phone development. I expect Windows Phone will eventually be based on the Windows code base and you will still use .NET to create apps. I think you can use a WPF layer based on .NET or an HTML5 web based layer that still uses .NET to create. I think what is confusing developers since the Win8 demo/announcement is that even though native Win8 UI touch apps are HTML5 based, you will likely be able to build an HTML5 based app without having to code any HTML5/JavaScript (it would be generated).
>I'm not sure "excluded" is the word you meant here. To me, that says, "there will not be support for Silverlight" That's not going to be the case.
>
>And if I have to start writing Win apps in Javascript, I'll have to take a hard look at Apple. Objective C has to be more developer friendly and easier to use.
>
>>Well, I agree Silverlight is alive, it's still evolving. Just as VFP evolved after VFP 8.0. I wouldn't be surprised if there is a Silverlight 6.0 after 5.0 is released. Aside from Silverlight evolving, what matters is how Microsoft uses it within tools and platform strategy, and how developers/businesses use it going forward. It's clear to me that limited browser plug-ins are not the future of most web development, and that while Silverlight may evolve, it will be used less and be within less scenarios, products, etc.
>>
>>LightSwitch will be released soon, and generates Silverlight based screens. I'd bet that LightSwitch 2.0 will generate HTML5 based screens, maybe keeping Silverlight as well for backward compatibility. I expect Windows Phone will follow Windows 8, which excludes Silverlight and instead focuses on HTML5. I expect MS will have tools that help the creating of HTML5 forms/apps, so you don't have to hand-code those web pages (like ASP.NET controls do).
>>
>>IMO, Silverlight will become like VFP, it's there for those who want it for whatever they want to do with it, but not part of the Microsoft platform strategy.