let me be the first to say it then...

nokia brought us the WSOD... but now, thanks to M$, you'll also be able to get the BSOD!!

Now, on the one hand anything that forces Adobe to compete on the linux desktop and improve their web-embedded player is a good thing. However, I wouldn't count MS as an ally just 'cos they appear to be doing something nice for once - MS are ruthlessly driven by commercial interests, and if this means that they kill of Adobe's lead in that arena and replace it with their own product, so be it. However, don't rely on MS for long term support afterwards.

For example, MS Office on Mac created a monoculture, but when MS talked about pulling the plug on it, there was nothing to fill the void.

Are we better off that OS2008 no longer has the opera browser? Well, technically, it's arguable, but I'm 100% sure we're better off with the OSS alternative.

Good point- and I would like to take it one step further, why do sites insist on using images? ASCII art is perfectly fine, and if used correctly can be much speedier over dialup. And don't get me started on HDTV.

I can understand your sentiment, but look at it this way: more support for the tablets. More value.

And enjoy the irony of Microsoft embracing a competing OS and platform.

Great news. So we have flash, and silverlight and possibly java coming to the IT. All three currently proprietary. Um yea so where is the oss solution? Probably about 5 years behind commercial vendors. Kind of like microsoft they will clone the best one And competition will make for a better tablet Acrobat 10 which you will um.. have to hack on your old N830 because adobe wont let nokia give it away.

Microsoft's cross platform push is probably mostly for phones not internet tablets. If they can cover phones and x86 tablets/umpcs/minilaptops.... those are market segments. We can only hope we'll be included (ordained and efforted from both Nokia and Microsoft), they actually say :

Microsoft Silverlight availability for Nokia Series 40 devices and Nokia Internet tablets will be confirmed later.

Doesnt sound like this is necessarily certain to me.

Oh and Pre-emptive 'shush' : actually OSS is about 5 years behind on UI, obviously the Unix/Linux OS microsoft has been borrowing from as-needed

Since when has that been the case? That was true once, but today M$ diminishes value not add to it. There was a time when I was a M$ fanboy but once I started using Linux about 8 years ago I realized just how much M$ has stifled the development of the computer industry as a whole and now I have absolutely ZERO interest at running anything M$ on my tablet!!

OSS fanboism is bad thing, guys. Microsoft stifled the developement? Aw come on! Even now newbie user CAN NOT use Linux. No, he can't. And you're talking about 8 years ago! MS brought PC's to your home. And I'm very thankful for that.

This is about going with the lesser of two evils. The official Flash implementation on Linux is total ****. Adobe could care less. At least with SilverLight, we have a corporation behind it that will listen to the Linux community (Novell).
Wrong, the number is at least two.

I could honestly care less about this. Silverlight is a failed initiative that Microsoft is trying to force on users through very backhanded means. They couldn't get anyone to use it by choice so now you are seeing some very bald attempts to force it down people's throats. I half expect to see it tagged as a critical update in Windows Update any day now. This has business to business payoff written all over it. It isn't like there are hoards of users clamoring to Nokia for them to implement Silverlight. It disgusts me that of all the bugs and worthwhile features that Nokia could be putting manhours into, we get this instead.

This is honestly horrible news. Microsoft would like nothing better than to have Silverlight completely replace flash on the web. The one and only reason they're *appearing* to support other platforms than Windows is because they want to get a monopoly on Silverlight as soon as possible. I guarantee you, once they own the market, guess what. Do you really think they're going to keep supporting the Linux and Mac (etc) versions? No, absolutely not. They can kill the alternate versions and people on the other platforms will be unable to use web 3.0 Gmail/YouTube/Facebook/Flick/yourfavoritesite. You'll be forced to use a MS platform if you want to use a mainstream 3.0 web service. This is the One Microsoft Way (their street address, coincedentially), embrace, extend and extinguish the competition.

No I don't expect Microsoft to support the Linux port. I do, however believe Novell will continue to support the Linux version as they have been.