Since I have a lot of time on my hands at the moment, due to a foot injury (I had my big toe's toenail ripped off), I decided to go nuts with a project I'm working on, called MossyVideo Player System Thingy  which is built in Silverlight.

MSVideoPlayer_1_0_93

Fig 1.0 (The Design in its early stages, it starts with the orb of power and grows outward)

This project is got a lot of goodness associated about it and here's what I expect to deliver to the big world wide interweb post it's release.

  1. Video Diaries. Every step of the way, I decided what better way to describe to the world my process and approach to this project, then to simply create some video diaries of my journey. Starting from Day 0 you're going to see a segment on my pain that which is installing Adobe CS3 Web Premier (that was a lot of fun with Windows Vista). I'm also going to edit the video and use it as the first demo reel for the player (what better way to dog food it).
  2. MSVideoPlayer_1_0_94ASP.NET AJAX ToolKit. We hear all this way to often with Silverlight, in that it's been stated that it's a natural progression from HTML/AJAX world to the next evolution step. I plan on proving this by showing how Silverlight + Video + AJAX can play a role with one another.
  3. Something New, Something Borrowed & Something Blue. I've got a nice idea of how to involve some existing Web 2.0 API's with this project, can't tell you now as it's a secret surprise. Suffice to say, it may involve PopFly.ms - it may not - who's to tell.
  4. The Adobe Killer. I'm so tired of these rants as of late, so through-out you're going to see me refer to the "Zealots", these are folks whom believe in the theory that Silverlight vs Adobe is going to be a Zero Sum Game. I plan to illustrate to one and all it's about choice, it's about blending the pieces together to create, innovate and design as best I can (e.g. I am using Adobe CS3 for part of the artwork! as well as Expression Design - I can hear a few people hit the floor in shock)
  5. It's new to me. Yes, I have spent many nights tinkering with Silverlight, and I'll be pushing everything I know about it to the max. I'm in constant chatter between folks internally and externally whom are helping in a number of ways with some of my questions, recently around Effects such as Blur inside Silverlight. More on that another time (heheh).
  6. Code examples. Once this is done, I hope to put this onto Codeplex.com for one and all to pick over, steal, laugh at you name it you get it.
  7. It's about the Journey. Lastly, it's about understanding the overall experience it took from having an idea in a shower one day (which is my best source of inspiration) through to building. It's also most important of all, showing that playing with Silverlight (even in Alpha) doesn't have to be this serious religious battle that appears to flow online, lighten up folks, it's a new toy! so play!