Microsoft to open source part of Silverlight

Digit Online

Microsoft is expected to opensource at least parts of Silverlight, their in-browser media rich player which they hope will compete with Adobe's Flash.

Flash has several years head start and a plethera of programmers who can produce Flash output and though Microsoft's Expression tools will support Silverlight, they haven't been released yet (expected in June).

This could well be a Flash in the pan for Microsoft as Adobe are continually adding features to Flash and are unlikely to let Microsoft get a foothold.