What We’re Announcing Today:
- A kick-ass new website: www.microsoft.com/web - which includes everything and anything you could possibly want to know (and probably more) about Microsoft’s web products.
- An updated version of the Microsoft Web Platform Installer– which includes PHP!
- The Windows Web Application Gallery– browse popular open source .NET and PHP web applications to easily install on top of Windows, or else build your own applications into the gallery – and reach millions of customers, developers, and communities worldwide!
For those of you who want a bit more info – and I know that some of you do -
Here’s the back story:
Last June a few of us from Redmond took a trip down to San Francisco to figure out next steps for the direction that we wanted to move with Microsoft's web products. The developer ecosystem was changing, and we had great products and great customers, but we wanted to do more for our customers, the communities out there that wanted to use Windows - and, we wanted to figure out different ways that we could help developers be successful.
I had just come onboard as the lead for the Web Platform & Standards team, and between me, Bill Staples (General Manager of Web Products), Brian Goldfarb (Director of UX/Web), and a few others we put our heads together and came up with a few principles that we really wanted our web platform products and solutions to embody: (1) Simplicity, (2), Interoperability, and (3) Integration.
Today as we formally announce some of the pieces that extend on our web platform vision, I am happy to say that each component that we are announcing today deliver on each of these critical core values that are so important for developers, for communities out there, and for our customers.
So what are we announcing as part of the Microsoft Web Platform today? (other than the brand-spanking new website we have)
(1) The Microsoft Web Platform Installer 2.0 Beta.(WebPI)
What does this do? It installs all the free Microsoft web products onto your Windows Server box, or your hosted server.
Why do I need this?
Well, first of all, this version of the WebPI installs the community version of PHP. Additionally, instead of going to several different websites to download and install Microsoft's web products, you can now seamlessly and quickly install them from one website - and you can update them from this website as well. This is the simplicity we have been aiming for - one website, one download, and simple updates to the best products for building web solutions.
Why did Microsoft include the Community Version of PHP inside of the Web Platform Installer?
Microsoft is committed to providing developers and communities with the best solutions for building Web applications. Many popular applications are built using PHP, and Microsoft wants to ensure that its customers, community members, and developers are able to use these solutions on top of the Microsoft Web Platform – and including PHP inside of the Web PI simplifies this for Web developers. This is a critical piece of the Microsoft Web Platform strategy – which built to work with customers, communities, and developers - in mind.
What products does the WebPI include?
· Internet Information Services (IIS) 5.1 on Windows XP SP3
· IIS 6.0 on Windows Server 2003 SP2
· IIS 7.0 on Windows Vista SP1 and Windows Server 2008
· SQL Server 2008 Express,
· .NET Framework 3.5 SP1
· Visual Web Developer 2008 Express Edition
· IIS Extensions including:
o IIS 7 Media Services 3.0
o IIS7 Administration Pack
o Database Manager for IIS7
o WebDav 7.5
o FTP 7.5
o FastCGI for PHP support on IIS6
o URL Rewriter
o IIS 7 Application Routing
o Web Deployment Tool for IIS
· ASP.NET and features such as ASP.NET MVC
· Silverlight Tools for Visual Studio
· The Community Version of PHP v5.2.9-1
(2) The Windows Web Application Gallery
What is the Windows Web Application Gallery?
- The Windows Web Application Gallery is a community hub of the most popular Open Source and community Web applications that run on Windows.
- It provides a simple streamlined way for users to explore, discover, and install ASP.NET, PHP, and other types of Web applications and solutions on the Windows Platform.
- It also provides a simple way for developers to offer their applications to the millions of users worldwide.
What applications are currently included in the Windows Web App Gallery?
Current applications include: Acquia Drupal, DotNetNuke, WordPress, dasBlog, Gallery, SilverStripe, BlogEngine.NET, SubText, Umbraco, and ScrewTurn Wiki.
A Great User Experience
The Windows Web Application Gallery makes it easy to explore, discover and install popular community ASP.NET and PHP applications for the Windows Platform. Discover and install web applications through the Microsoft.com website, the Microsoft Web PI, IIS 7.0 Manager, and participating hosting control panels.
A Strong Community Ecosystem
The Windows Web Application Gallery creates a social hub for connecting users to the right Web solutions. Make informed decisions and help others make decisions based on community ratings and reviews. Developers get access to a wealth of feedback helping them pinpoint ways to improve their web application. In addition, with numerous community and customized applications, developers no longer have to build their solutions from scratch; there are plentiful applications that solve real-world problems, and can be downloaded and installed, customized, and ready to go – saving both money and time for developers.
Easy Distribution & Amazing Market Opportunities
The Windows Web Application Gallery provides developers a simple way to offer their Web applications to millions of Windows users worldwide. By adding an application to the Windows Web Application Gallery that you package and we publish, you will gain access to millions of developers and end-users that are looking to discover solutions that will make them successful.
Yes! You can - and by adding Web Application Gallery integration to your existing ZIP package, users can access your app inside the gallery - and Microsoft will help distribute and market it to millions of Windows developers worldwide. It's an easy way to distribute your application, promote your solution, or gain fame in the Windows community - oh - and help others be successful building web solutions.
I have to give kudos here to an amazing engineering team, a rockstar marketing team, and the superb website teams that we had working on this. Tremendous work has been done - and we've got lots more to come.
As always - questions and feedback welcome! /LC
