I've several desktop applications that I've authored for my employer. Some of them are getting long in the tooth, having been in use now for almost 10 years. I've a collection of these applications spread over the different .NET frameworks and different languages. Thankfully, I've learned quite a bit along the way and I'd like to begin the process of migrating them to new and vastly improved versions.
My initial thought was Silverlight. I love the technology, despite the asynchronous learning curve (1), and I figure I could create an applications site that not only improves the security of my applications but creates a single location that serves them up thereby easing deployment. This thing could be built from the ground up using a whole new set of best practices. It's a huge 'do-over' for the past 10 years of work. It's a fun prospect.
However, rumors of the demise of Silverlight abound and while it clear that XAML and the .NET languages will live on I'm not entirely sure in what form. Bear in mind my company won't likely adopt Windows 8 until 2013 or thereabouts. The ideal would be to develop in VS 2011 using the replacement for Silverlight but have it be able to deploy to Windows 7 and Windows 8. I don't know if that is possible at this time but I'm stuck between the need to develop for the here and now and getting infrastructure in place for Window 8. I don't want to build anymore legacy code at this point.
Thoughts?
NOTES
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1: And I do mean asychronous in that so many new things must be learned all at the same time and in spite of each other and also the learning curve of dealing with asynchronous technology.
This seems to have been addressed here:
http://www.lhotka.net/weblog/Silverlight6DoesnrsquotMatter.aspx
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