Microsoft launched a tool to compete with Adobe Flash

This week, Microsoft will announce a new technology that enables web-based multimedia applications to compete with Adobe's Flash rival.

It is Silverlight (codename WPF / E), a browser plug-in that allows Web content providers to distribute directly on interactive video and media programs websites. This technology will support Vista's new graphics framework, Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). Silverlight will be introduced at this week's NAB Conference in Las Vegas.

In addition, Microsoft will also announce a list of Web content providers that have signed an agreement to use Silverlight when the technology launches, including Akamai Technologies, Brightcove, Eyeblaster, Major League Baseball and Netflix.

Silverlight will target three main audiences: content providers who want to distribute videos and media via the Web; designers and developers to build interactive applications; and end users want the best experience when viewing Web-based media content.

Silverlight is compatible with many browsers, from Internet Explorer (IE), Safari to Firefox. The biggest utility Silverlight offers to end users is to help them not download other video playing technologies when watching online media content based on the operating system in use.

At NAB 2007, Microsoft will "demo" the video capabilities of Silverlight, but will also introduce how to use Silverlight in Adobe Flash-like ways to distribute Web-based applications.

Microsoft intends to optimize other components of the software platform to add value to Silverlight. For example, Microosft's upcoming Windows Server platform (codenamed Longhorn) will include the IIS7 Media Pack plug-in, which adds new features to upgrade, and reduces the cost of distributing rich media content over. Web