Microsoft Avalon remarks

I spent some time following what Microsoft and Apple are doing for their new OS versions. The direction is clear: everything is moving from pixel based graphics to vector data and extensive graphics hardware support.

Microsoft file format solution is called XAML, which is a SVG derivation in many points. But where SVG is incredibly complex, still lacking some basic functionality, slow and almost impossible to implement 100% correctly, XAML is simply to the point of what developers and designers need. There are many reasons why XAML is interesting, apart from the technical ones:

• Totally new user experiences are possible, going away from the classic widget based systems.
  
• Reusing content and making changes becomes easier. Maybe this is the perfect blend between skinning and code.
  
• Designers can become more part of developing applications than ever before. The key here is that Microsoft has to deliver on the tools side. In the past they haven't shown a particular feel for designers.

Microsoft has acquired CreativeHouse with their application called Expression. It looks like this technology will become the base of their new design tools. While a nice toy application, I hope it'll change enough so it will become practical for everyday use. Or maybe they have those engineers working on something totally new like it is the case so often when small companies are acquired.

Skimming over some of the specs of XAML, everything still looks quite incomplete. If they are at this stage now it looks like another couple of years for this thing is ready though.