Tools of the Trade

I am going to explain this very clearly so nobody misunderstands.  DO NOT use the download link on Silverlight.net/getstarted/  DO NOT USE IT!  (It installs Visual Web Developer 2008 Express onto your computer)  Microsoft has already released a new Beta Version of VWD 2010 Express.  VWB 2010-E has many more features than VWB 2008-E and comes with Silverlight 3 built in as well as most of the tools needed to design the UI (unlike previous versions).  Follow this link to download VWB 2010-E:

Visual Studio Express Downloads

Once there, follow these steps:

1. Click on the third tab labeled, "Visual Studio 2010 Express Beta 2"
2. Click on the "Visual Web Developer 2010 Express Beta 2" link
3. Download
4. Launch installer
5. Play solitaire while waiting for the stupid installer to finish (because you have nothing better to do)
6. Dance around in utter joy when the installer finishes

P.S.  Steps 5 and 6 are purely optional and are usually only followed by people with no life or who truly enjoy being chained to their cubicle desk during a common workday at the office.

Why Silverlight?

Well why not?  Microsoft Silverlight is the next generation in interactivity on the web.  It's intelligent design  allows for vast versatility, and can be programmed in VB or C++.  It gives those programmers who only understand VB, a chance to create rich internet applications, without having to learn a different programming language.

And now a piece of code that everyone will understand:
 
Flash.Simplicity = "Fail"