Silverlight Update Page Displaying Nonsensical Warning or Error When Visited Under My Software Environment

Question

     I use OS X 'El Capitan' and Safari — specifically, version 10.11.6 of the former and version 10.1.2 of the latter.)  Up until today, the only problem I've had with the Silverlight installation/update web page is that recent versions of Silverlight released for Windows do not seem to have been given Mac counterparts.  Today, however, that has changed:  I now see the following message when I visit that page:  

The 'System Requirements' for Silverlight also no longer list a version of Safari greater than or equal to 10.0 in its compatibility matrix.  What in the blazes is going on here?!  

Answer 1

Hi RandomDSdevel,

According to the Compatible Operating System and Browsers, it only support MacOS 10.6(Intel-based) and MacOS 10.7 - 10.11 (Intel-based) for Mac. This is mean other version of Mac OS is not supported.

And above Mac OS version and Safari support Silverligh until 12/31/2016. This is why you see above information on Silverlight installation/update web page.

If you want to use Silverlight, please choose Windows operating system and using IE browser. The detailed supported Windows and IE version, please check the Compatible Operating System and Browsers.

Best Regards,
Weiwei

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Answer 2

     You wouldn't happen to be able to point me to wherever there might be an announcement for this change that I just happened to miss, would you, Weiwei?  (I get that the change was quietly documented, but that only really counts if people are made aware of such an update to the relevant support page(s.))  Phasing out support for OS X/macOS is big enough of a surprise that I would have expected Microsoft to forewarn its customers and partners, not to mention the technology media (since they can be an effective communications channel at times,) of it instead of just springing it on everyone like this.  Silent breaking changes are never a good idea.  Also, I got the normal 'The version of Silverlight installed is:  ↵Silverlight 5 (5.1.50901.0)↵↵You are ready to use Microsoft Silverlight!' message (where, in my quote of it here, '↵' stands in for a hard line break, of course, and '5.1.50901.0' is the latest version of Silverlight for Mac since newer versions seem to contain Windows-only fixes and improvements — if, that is, I've read their release notes correctly) when I checked for updates today, so…that kind of suggests/implies that Silverlight is still supported on the Mac even though it's documented not to be.  Maybe we're both missing something here, though…  (Also, I'm a bit perplexed to not see any mention of Microsoft Edge in either your reply or the Silverlight compatibility chart, seeing as that browser is supposed to have replaced IE in newer versions of Windows and all…)  

Answer 3

Hi RandomDSdevel,

>>  I would have expected Microsoft to forewarn its customers and partners, not to mention the technology media (since they can be an effective communications channel at times,) of it instead of just springing it on everyone like this.  Silent breaking changes are never a good idea.

Yes, I agree with you. Microsoft should not silent breaking changes. Actually, Microsoft has announced Silverlight will support until 12/10/2021 on its Lifecycle site a few years ago. And then some browsers start announcing they will not support Silverlight, such as Chrome announce they will not support Silverlight from September 2015. (Since I don't use Mac and Safari , I'm not pay attention to whether they also announce similar news)

>> Also, I'm a bit perplexed to not see any mention of Microsoft Edge in either your reply or the Silverlight compatibility chart, seeing as that browser is supposed to have replaced IE in newer versions of Windows and all

Microsoft Edge also doesn't listed in the compatible table, so it doesn't support Silverlight. And it doesn't have replaced IE, it just a new browser in Windows 10 which is not support ActiveX plugins any more, include Silverlight. You could read the blog from Edge Team. So if we want to use Silverlight on Windows 10, we need to use IE on Window 10.

https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2015/07/02/moving-to-html5-premium-media/

And according to following document, you will get prompt to install Silverlight on Mac if the Mac is not recognize Silverlight. If your System and browsers are still support Silverlight, you could try the Resolution in below document.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/help/981760/silverlight-for-mac-is-not-being-recognized-or-you-are-continually-pro

Best Regards,
Weiwei

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Answer 4

Hi RandomDSdevel,

>>  I would have expected Microsoft to forewarn its customers and partners, not to mention the technology media (since they can be an effective communications channel at times,) of it instead of just springing it on everyone like this.  Silent breaking changes are never a good idea.

Yes, I agree with you. Microsoft should not silent breaking changes. Actually, Microsoft has announced Silverlight will support until 12/10/2021 on its Lifecycle site a few years ago. And then some browsers start announcing they will not support Silverlight, such as Chrome announce they will not support Silverlight from September 2015. (Since I don't use Mac and Safari , I'm not pay attention to whether they also announce similar news)

⋮

     OK, that's along the lines of the sort documentation I'd expect, if a bit sparse.  As far as I know, the Safari team has not yet made any announcement of the sort that they would be dropping support for Silverlight from the browser they maintain.  

⋮

>> Also, I'm a bit perplexed to not see any mention of Microsoft Edge in either your reply or the Silverlight compatibility chart, seeing as that browser is supposed to have replaced IE in newer versions of Windows and all

Microsoft Edge also doesn't listed in the compatible table, so it doesn't support Silverlight. And it doesn't have replaced IE, it just a new browser in Windows 10 which is not support ActiveX plugins any more, include Silverlight. You could read the blog from Edge Team. So if we want to use Silverlight on Windows 10, we need to use IE on Window 10.

https://blogs.windows.com/msedgedev/2015/07/02/moving-to-html5-premium-media/

⋮

     Of course, but perhaps adding a note to that effect below the table would prevent end-user confusion like that which I briefly had.  I'm also aware that Internet Explorer has not been explicitly deprecated just yet, but I wouldn't be surprised if Microsoft Edge eventually replaces IE entirely, seeing as it's supposed to be focused on being a browser for the 'modern Web' and all that.  

⋮

And according to following document, you will get prompt to install Silverlight on Mac if the Mac is not recognize Silverlight. If your System and browsers are still support Silverlight, you could try the Resolution in below document.

https://support.microsoft.com/en-sg/help/981760/silverlight-for-mac-is-not-being-recognized-or-you-are-continually-pro

Best Regards,
Weiwei

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      Did you mean 'still don't support Silverlight?'  In that case, the resolution to such an issue as described in that knowledge base article might prove helpful.  As things stand, however, I upgraded my version of Safari from 10.1.2 to 11.0, but have not yet seen the error/warning I originally reported to you and your team since the date I opened this thread.  I hope that means that I just hit some sort of temporary hiccup that won't appear again.

Thanks for all your help, 

     Bryce Glover

Answer 5

Hi Bryce Glover,

Thanks for your response.

Since Microsoft has released the lifecycle of Silverlight years ago, I suggest you contact Safari  supporter to confirm when and what situation they will not support Silverlight plugin in their browser.

You could post your problem to Safari  official support forum.

https://discussions.apple.com/community/mac_os/safari

Best Regards,
Weiwei

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Answer 6

     You're welcome, and it would probably be a good idea to do that if I ever encounter this issue again.  

Thanks again for all your help, 

     Bryce Glover