Comments on: Hype Meets Reality: Silverlight Finally Reaches The Olympics http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/2008/08/11/hype-meets-reality-silverlight-finally-reaches-the-olympics/ This is the blog of Brooks Andrus. Here, at irregular intervals, you may find digital noise centered around the activities of an early 21st century technologist. I work for TechSmith Corporation, but this web space and the views found on it are entirely my own. Sat, 20 Mar 2010 16:18:35 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Brooks http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/2008/08/11/hype-meets-reality-silverlight-finally-reaches-the-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-48404 Brooks Thu, 14 Aug 2008 15:16:22 +0000 http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/?p=218#comment-48404 @Phillip - I definitely didn't intend to imply that Silverlight was underwhelming because of MSNBC's implementation. There's been a lot of hype about this implementation and what it might do for the runtime's popularity, so I'm just a little underwhelmed by the by the actual goods. You're right, I think they met most of their delivery objectives--we can watch a lot of reasonable quality video from the web and that's pretty dang cool. As JD's mentioned on Twitter, their were a lot of moving parts in the Olympics coverage and we should appreciate that web video coverage has taken a big step from where it was 4 years ago. @Phillip – I definitely didn’t intend to imply that Silverlight was underwhelming because of MSNBC’s implementation. There’s been a lot of hype about this implementation and what it might do for the runtime’s popularity, so I’m just a little underwhelmed by the by the actual goods.

You’re right, I think they met most of their delivery objectives–we can watch a lot of reasonable quality video from the web and that’s pretty dang cool. As JD’s mentioned on Twitter, their were a lot of moving parts in the Olympics coverage and we should appreciate that web video coverage has taken a big step from where it was 4 years ago.

]]> By: Phillip Kerman http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/2008/08/11/hype-meets-reality-silverlight-finally-reaches-the-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-48403 Phillip Kerman Thu, 14 Aug 2008 06:00:54 +0000 http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/?p=218#comment-48403 While your points are all pretty much on target, it seems a tad misplaced on Silverlight and not just this one implementation. Granted, one would expect the best possible example given the opportunity--but still, it's not necessarily all that Silverlight can deliver. I mean, what if I took any one Flash site and implied that all Flash had whatever flaws that site had? I agree about the video quality but I suspect this is just a matter of either (or both) bandwidth and performance. Sure, it'd be great if they could pump 1500 kbps down to a million viewers (or whatever the number is) but that's not realistic. They probably also wanted it to work--which should always be the #1 priority--which, in this case I think they've succeeded. While your points are all pretty much on target, it seems a tad misplaced on Silverlight and not just this one implementation. Granted, one would expect the best possible example given the opportunity–but still, it’s not necessarily all that Silverlight can deliver. I mean, what if I took any one Flash site and implied that all Flash had whatever flaws that site had?

I agree about the video quality but I suspect this is just a matter of either (or both) bandwidth and performance. Sure, it’d be great if they could pump 1500 kbps down to a million viewers (or whatever the number is) but that’s not realistic. They probably also wanted it to work–which should always be the #1 priority–which, in this case I think they’ve succeeded.

]]> By: Brooks http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/2008/08/11/hype-meets-reality-silverlight-finally-reaches-the-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-48391 Brooks Tue, 12 Aug 2008 16:04:43 +0000 http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/?p=218#comment-48391 @MichaelM - That's a good point and yes I'm guilty of bloated posts (all that rich media + a piggish WordPress theme). I guess the big questions is how much are consumers willing to tolerate. I know the Adobe folks have studied closely the point at which downloads tail off based on download size. What the magic number is I'm not sure, but I know that 17 MB gives me pause even if its not a rational stance given how much bandwidth bloat I accept. People aren't necessarily rational. We often make decisions based purely on emotion and I definitely think that's something that begins to come into play as you get into the 7-10 MB range. I need to be in a "must have" mindset once we're over 10 MB. We also know that people's patience for a page load wears thin at about 7 seconds. Add 17 MB + install and your chances of keeping everyone on course gets pretty shaky. @MichaelM – That’s a good point and yes I’m guilty of bloated posts (all that rich media + a piggish WordPress theme).

I guess the big questions is how much are consumers willing to tolerate. I know the Adobe folks have studied closely the point at which downloads tail off based on download size. What the magic number is I’m not sure, but I know that 17 MB gives me pause even if its not a rational stance given how much bandwidth bloat I accept.

People aren’t necessarily rational. We often make decisions based purely on emotion and I definitely think that’s something that begins to come into play as you get into the 7-10 MB range. I need to be in a “must have” mindset once we’re over 10 MB.

We also know that people’s patience for a page load wears thin at about 7 seconds. Add 17 MB + install and your chances of keeping everyone on course gets pretty shaky.

]]> By: MichaelM http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/2008/08/11/hype-meets-reality-silverlight-finally-reaches-the-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-48390 MichaelM Tue, 12 Aug 2008 14:49:46 +0000 http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/?p=218#comment-48390 Not to nitpick, but is 17 MB really worth complaining about? Is it all that much for installing a platform and codec? Lets keep it in perspective like the fact that this post chewed up 1.2 MB of bandwidth according to Safari. :) Not to nitpick, but is 17 MB really worth complaining about? Is it all that much for installing a platform and codec? Lets keep it in perspective like the fact that this post chewed up 1.2 MB of bandwidth according to Safari. :)

]]> By: Brooks http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/2008/08/11/hype-meets-reality-silverlight-finally-reaches-the-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-48385 Brooks Mon, 11 Aug 2008 19:55:46 +0000 http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/?p=218#comment-48385 @PaulH - the lack of global rights is unfortunate and ultimately its a huge opportunity lost for MS to push their runtime across the globe. The Olympics are a global event, the Silverlight runtime is what MS hopes will be a global platform--it would have made a lot of sense to get the maximum reach possible, or at least handle the consequences more gracefully. @PaulH – the lack of global rights is unfortunate and ultimately its a huge opportunity lost for MS to push their runtime across the globe. The Olympics are a global event, the Silverlight runtime is what MS hopes will be a global platform–it would have made a lot of sense to get the maximum reach possible, or at least handle the consequences more gracefully.

]]> By: PaulH http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/2008/08/11/hype-meets-reality-silverlight-finally-reaches-the-olympics/comment-page-1/#comment-48384 PaulH Mon, 11 Aug 2008 18:34:18 +0000 http://www.brooksandrus.com/blog/?p=218#comment-48384 i especially liked how NBC told you *after* you had downloaded & installed sliverlight that you're too foreign to view these videos. the video bits kept coming up blank until NBC finally fessed up. geez. i especially liked how NBC told you *after* you had downloaded & installed sliverlight that you’re too foreign to view these videos. the video bits kept coming up blank until NBC finally fessed up. geez.

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