>>>The reason is that web standards developed and now include a video standard. Microsoft is more supporting to web standards now than ever before.
>>>
>>>Additionally, there are many platforms that no longer support browser plugins. iPad, and WindowsRT come to mind. Also, with phones and other small portable devices, loading additional things like Silverlight is getting less likely.
>>>
>>>
>>>>Netflix dropping Silverlight, thought it is intersting they making the move now. I just don't understand how MSFT could spend so much money and development on something, then drop it so quickly which causes other companies to drop it. How long did it last before they announced they were droping it.... perhaps 2 years? This link is not from a tech article, but from an "so so" investing site.
>>>>
>>>>http://www.fool.com/investing/general/2013/04/15/netflix-to-drop-microsoft-silverlight.aspx
>>
>>I think Mel (and I ) would both agree as to *why* MS pulled the plug on Silverlight but I also think his question (in the context of "My god what were they thinking") is how they could have put so much energy, money and evangelism into it before realizing it was MS version of IBMs micro-channel architecture.
>>
>>I know that for some reason at MS there has been a culture of doing things like putting three teams on projects that basically compete and then killing off the losers ( Linq to SQL ) and maybe that has given them good results in some cases. I suspect that while the Silverlight/WPF team was doing their thing and getting a lot of love, the VS/javascript/HTML team(s) were quietly tolling away on what a lot of people thought would be the backup that would save their asses when Silverlight went south.
>>
>>But being tone deaf to a lot of consumer demand, thinking they could create demand by juggernaut as in days of yore, the resounding lack of success for Windows 8 is pretty much chickens coming home to roost.
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>>I take more than a passing interest in new OS. i have a vested professional interest in success of MS platform. I develop apps to run on MS and I advise clients regarding MS.
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>>I don't have a Win 8 device of any kind, wouldn't ever consider a windows phone (are there still such things - I've never seen one?) Would never consider putting 5 minutes into Metro (oh, wait, what is it now? ) development.
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>>If I had to buy a new PC (which it seems not many people do right now) I may get Windows 8 but like everyone I know who has one I'd probably spend the first day getting metro the hell off of the screen and getting it to look as much like Win 7 as I could.
>>
>>I have never seen a compelling case to use, develop for or recommend Win 8 and I know there are a lot of folks out there lest interested in and supportive of MS than I am.
>>
>>So far it seems through their advertising that the best argument they make for Win 8 is you get some big clunky looking boxes on the screen (which users try to figure out a way to turn off as their first "customization" ) and if you get a whateverthatis they are advertising in the TV ads it has a kickstand and you can slap it around and dance. Oh, and you get a touch screen interface for your desktop or laptop where you have got along quite nicely without one since 1981.
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>>Of course this doesn't speak to the technical merits of Windows 8. I know nothing of those, but I do know that this is a business where perception means a lot (or Apple would have crashed years ago) and MS is not winning that war.
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>>Meanwhile, the actual great developer IDE they have created - Visual Studio - is great because it makes HTML5 and javascript work and play well with good stuff - like SQL Server.
>>
>>Very schizophrenic company.
>
>Well put.
>
>I've been a fairly adrent supporter of Microsoft for decades, but now I am looking for useful alternatives both for OS and development platforms.
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>It's sad and frustrating not to have really viable alternatives.
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>Linux is a pile of disjointed stuff stuffed in a 'distribution'. If you want to play geek long enough, you can make some stuff work (and I don't want to play geek anymore with Linux). I asume there may be a desktop version that isn't too painful to set up (I've only dealt with Linux servers), but then you have to look for applications that are piles of disjointed stuff. And yes, I've had linux evangelists show me how wonderful linux is, and it is piles of disjointed stuff.
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>Visual Studio has no equal from what I've seen, but of course it is pointed to Microsoft platforms.
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>Microsoft rolls out technologies with great fanfare and entices developers to bet the farm on them, only to drop them on what seems like a whim. That really makes for brand loyalty.
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>Microsoft hardware ventures fail almost every time. The fact that they haven't a clue how to market anything has a lot to do with that.
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>Microsoft server operating systems are still solid and simple to work with. I'll give credit where credit is due. Of course now Microsoft wants to point all their technology to the 'cloud' so they can charge you monthly.
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>Microsoft desktop operating systems have an increasing propensity to be bombs. Lately, they bomb simply because Microsoft assumes they can force users to buy something they don't want to use. Vista. Vista Bob (Win 8).
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>They can't even design their own websites to be usable. This weekend I spent about 2 hours online with customer support for XBOX Music since their subscription purchasing page is so broken. Never did get my account straightened out so I canceled the credit card charge and I'll get music elsewhere.
>
>The Kuhn Group has been a Microsoft Certified Partner for 14 years. The last couple of years we had to hold our noses when renewing because we are so disgusted with Microsoft (and because their Partner site is such a PITA to work with). We won't do it next year.
>
>I'll stop now so Craig can come in and tell us the wonders of Microsoft life.. :)

I think you are spot on about MS websites. They are embarrassing. I don't know if they use scrub interns to maintain, create, organize them but if they want to scare people away from the idea that MS knows anything about web development pretty much ANY ms website will do the trick. And this isn't even about the appearance but just about stuff that crashes, doesn't work, has dead links etc. and a very obvious lack of organization and site design. I really cannot think of another major company that has a web presence that is so pathetic.