The New Birds Eye and the Future of Silverlight

5 November 2010 Geoff Zeiss

There was an interesting blog on the Bing Community that suggests interesting directions for web applications at Microsoft.

First of all, the Bing 3D Map ActiveX control, which used to be known as Virtual Earth and which derived from GeoTango, has been deprecated.

Secondly, the Birds Eye application, which provides oblique imagery from Pictometry, is being extended to include functionality that used to be in Virtual Earth including 3D urban landscapes and terrains.  The new Birds Eye was previewed with a Silverlight client last year.

Thirdly, it is getting increasingly difficult to see Silverlight as anything but an interim strategy that will be ultimately replaced by HTML5, at least on the desktop.  It is interesting that “very soon” the new Birds Eye will not require Silverlight or any other plugin.  As you would expect with a large organization like Microsoft, there are conflicting emanations wrt the future of Silverlight.  However, there appears to be a consistent message about Microsoft’s committment to HTML5.

Geoff Zeiss

Geoff Zeiss

Geoff Zeiss has more than 20 years experience in the geospatial software industry and 15 years experience developing enterprise geospatial solutions for the utilities, communications, and public works industries. His particular interests include the convergence of BIM, CAD, geospatial, and 3D. In recognition of his efforts to evangelize geospatial in vertical industries such as utilities and construction, Geoff received the Geospatial Ambassador Award at Geospatial World Forum 2014. Currently Geoff is Principal at Between the Poles, a thought leadership consulting firm. From 2001 to 2012 Geoff was Director of Utility Industry Program at Autodesk Inc, where he was responsible for thought leadership for the utility industry program. From 1999 to 2001 he was Director of Enterprise Software Development at Autodesk. He received one of ten annual global technology awards in 2004 from Oracle Corporation for technical innovation and leadership in the use of Oracle. Prior to Autodesk Geoff was Director of Product Development at VISION* Solutions. VISION* Solutions is credited with pioneering relational spatial data management, CAD/GIS integration, and long transactions (data versioning) in the utility, communications, and public works industries. Geoff is a frequent speaker at geospatial and utility events around the world including Geospatial World Forum, Where 2.0, MundoGeo Connect (Brazil), Middle East Spatial Geospatial Forum, India Geospatial Forum, Location Intelligence, Asia Geospatial Forum, and GITA events in US, Japan and Australia. Geoff received Speaker Excellence Awards at GITA 2007-2009.

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