Is Silverlight worth it?

[idunn]

😉 For some odd reason NBC requires Silverlight to view the Olympics. Should this be avoided or not?

I pose this question from previous experience with perhaps Microsoft's Media Player, or something similar, which ran not as a separate app but infested my Mac, causing problems elsewhere where formerly there had been none. I certainly want no repeat of that experience, Olympics or not.

So, please, from those that actually know, is my hesitation well founded or not?

 

[spice weasel]

Your hesitation is not founded. Silverlight is way better than Flash. It is used by lots of sites, including Netflix.

Download Silverlight 3 and enjoy the online Olympics coverage.

 

[xIGmanIx]

agreed, install and enjoy

Your hesitation is not founded. Silverlight is way better than Flash. It is used by lots of sites, including Netflix.

Download Silverlight 3 and enjoy the online Olympics coverage.

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

Their is a silverlight 4 beta.

 

[idunn]

Silverlight 4 beta?

😉 Thank you for the advice. I would welcome more, and if possible with specifics.

I've heard of certain issues with Silverlight 3, would the Silverlight 4 beta be worth considering? Anyone with any experience with it?

 

[macgrl]

I have used silverlight for a while and never had any problems🙂

 

[elppa]

Mac Silverlight client is fine. Used it for a while.

Go for it.

 

[clevin]

😉 Thank you for the advice. I would welcome more, and if possible with specifics.

I've heard of certain issues with Silverlight 3, would the Silverlight 4 beta be worth considering? Anyone with any experience with it?

what issues?

 

[idunn]

Issues

😉 Various things which were not well specified. One I recall was causing the browser to freeze or crash.

Anyone with experience with Silverlight 4 beta, or is version 3 considered stable enough?

 

[Michaelgtrusa]

😉 Thank you for the advice. I would welcome more, and if possible with specifics.

I've heard of certain issues with Silverlight 3, would the Silverlight 4 beta be worth considering? Anyone with any experience with it?

Simply Google Silverlight 4 beta. You will need this if you want to use Microsoft's Silverlight Facebook client. That's very good to say the least.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=FDjzm3SAmYw;)

 

[clevin]

😉 Various things which were not well specified. One I recall was causing the browser to freeze or crash.

Anyone with experience with Silverlight 4 beta, or is version 3 considered stable enough?

lol, install it and try it out, remove it if you dont like, since apparently nobody has any problems so far, it doesn't hurt to try. what are you worried about then? be brave. go ahead.

 

[kainjow]

I've been using v3 for a while now with Netflix. No problems at all. I say go for it OP.

 

[MacDawg]

I use it with Netflix as well and have experienced no problems with it

 

[KingYaba]

Now if only Moonlight wasn't garbage.

 

[clevin]

Now if only Moonlight wasn't garbage.

oh yeah,netflix is a big problem i have on linux.

 

[idunn]

Uninstall?

😉 Thank you for the feedback.

However in due diligence I have spent some time trying to discover the best way to uninstall Silverlight - should it pose problems. Seemingly the best solution thus far is using some arcane terminal commands, and there is no way I'm bothering with that. Other programs offer a simple uninstall feature, that Microsoft apparently does not makes me suspicious, to say the least.

Thus, while reports of trouble-free use are welcome, unless I learn of a simple uninstall method (in the event) then this is definitely a no go. Everything else is working fine right now, and I would just as soon it stay that way.

 

[kainjow]

To uninstall just trash the file /Library/Internet Plug-Ins/Silverlight.plugin and restart your browser.

http://www.microsoft.com/silverlight/get-started/install/removing-silverlight-mac.aspx

 

[clevin]

Other programs offer a simple uninstall feature, that Microsoft apparently does not makes me suspicious, to say the least.
.

There are tons of OSX apps, many made by apple, wont be easy to uninstall.

you are either way too suspicious, or just have a prejudice against everything MS.

If its that much hassle to convince you, I say stay where you are and forget about the whole thing. watch Olympics on TV is fine.

 

[idunn]

Not as simple

😉 Reports I've read indicate that just removing the plug-in will not work. Some report removing all trace of Silverlight and still having their browser seeking it as the default.

Thank you for the advice, but this isn't the kind of headache I need.

 

[kainjow]

What reports? Where?

 

[clevin]

What reports? Where?

i asked previously, the guys didn't give any link. The whole thread doesn't seem sincere from the start.

 

[idunn]

But two . . .

😉 I am entirely sincere.

These are but two of the sources I discovered, one indicating the need for terminal commands, the other a complaint in not being able to remove the program:

http://forums.silverlight.net/forums/t/3965.aspx
https://forums.macrumors.com/threads/474827/

Please, I do not wish to make an issue of this, only to have accurate information on the matter. Consider this closed unless specific knowledge.

 

[kainjow]

Knowledge is power...

The first link provides commands to remove those files via the Terminal. That is utterly pointless as you can simply move the files to the trash via the Finder. Plus it's dangerous to use that command as you could wipe out files without even knowing it, as that command does not move files to the trash.

The second link, well I'm not sure what's going on there. That thread is almost 2 years old. The OP never gave clarification on what was really going on and was really vague. My guess is human error. A plugin is either installed or it's not. The way to be sure is to completely restart your system (or log out) after trashing it.

Anyways, just wanted to clarify that, but it seems (unfortunately) that you've already made up your mind 🙂