I’ve been a Macromedia Studio user for quite some time now, plus also a Microsoft Visual Studio user as well. With Macromedia studio I can design rich user experiences with flash and with Microsoft Visual Studio I can design powerful desktop and web-based applications. Now Microsoft has made a move to take all the nice properties of Macromedia’s products and make them their own (perhaps making their own version of flash MSN searchable).

Microsoft Expression is a suite of products designed to create a whole new realm of online and desktop experience… and also make a step into Macromedia’s customer base, in true Microsoft fashion, but there is more to this besides merely getting into a new market.

Microsoft Expression is meant to be part of the new Windows Vista operating system. One of the main advances I’ve been hearing people goof about the most is the new XAML file format which is a markup language that can express objects, text, behaviors and more in a common format. Bitmaps are going away in favor of vector graphics, even with icons and text on your desktop screen.

This could all be very cool, or it could end up being a confusing mess. Either way it looks like many experienced designers and developers may find themselves having to go back to school. Such is the life of the code warrior.

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