Silverlight is a lightweight browser plug--in that frees your code from the traditional confines of the browser. It's a rules--changing, groundbreaking technology that allows you to run rich client applications right inside the browser. Even more impressively, it's able to host true .NET applications in non--Microsoft browsers (like Firefox) and on non--Microsoft platforms (like Mac OS X). Silverlight is still new and evolving fast, and you need a reliable guidebook to make sense of it. With four--color graphics and screenshots throughout, Pro Silverlight 2 in VB 2008 is the perfect reference: you'll learn about the features that put Silverlight in direct competition with Adobe Flash, such as rich support for 2D drawing, animations, and media playback, and best of all, you'll experience the plumbing of .NET and the design model of Windows Presentation Foundation through Silverlight--all of the same .NET technology that developers use to design next--generation Windows applications. Author Matthew MacDonald provides an expertly crafted tutorial written from professional developer to professional developer. You'll learn to create rich media applications using Silverlight in the environment you're most productive in--no matter what the target platform. What you'll learn * Develop rich media applications using Silverlight and Visual Basic across browsers and platforms. * Create a project, set up a layout, and use controls. * Handle 2D drawing, animation, and media playback through Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF). * Integrate web services support. * Use Silverlight in conjunction with ASP.NET and its interactions with HTML. Who this book is for Visual Basic 2005 and 2008 developers encountering Silverlight for the first time. No prior knowledge of WPF or ASP.NET is assumed.