Perhaps better than any other OS provider, Microsoft knows its developers. So rather than leaving it to third parties to create tools to exploit the capabilities of Windows, as well as the platform and services technologies on which it has bet the farm, such as .NET Framework, XAML and Silverlight, it has wisely chosen to create its own tools. This also ensures it's not shut out of rapidly-shifting web development trends that are increasingly being dominated by competitors such as Google and Adobe.

The Expression suite of tools, which includes Web, Blend plus SketchFlow, Design and Encoder, is designed to work with Microsoft's own Visual Studio to generate standards-based web sites, and rich desktop or Silverlight experiences. Silverlight itself remains a free runtime that in version 3 sees the addition of such new functionality as the ability to add out-of-browser, connected and disconnected scenarios for cross-platform applications. Also significant is the addition of Smooth Streaming, enabling what is said to be the industry’s first HDTV-quality (1080p) video experiences, with interactivity for both on-demand and live video.

While all the applications in the suite have been updated, notable in Expression 3 is the addition of SketchFlow in Blend (shown below), which provides development teams with the ability to rapidly prototype applications, then move them from concept to reality. New importers for Adobe Photoshop and Illustrator provide such functionality as the ability to view and import Photoshop files layer by layer. Layers can be regrouped, and elements can retain their original formats—layers, layer positions, editable text and vectors—and remain available for editing within Blend. Designers can now use Blend to add interactivity to their applications without having to write code, by using behaviors that encapsulate complex design interactions into reusable components, which can be directly applied to a user interface element in the application.

Visual Studio Professional Edition and Expression for Windows can now also be purchased together for a reduced rate of $999. More information is available on the Microsoft site.