Microsoft has released Silverlight 3, though some pieces of the platform are still not done – it seems there is always something to wait for.
There are links to the tools developers and designers need to install here:
http://silverlight.net/GetStarted/
Note that Expression Blend and Sketchflow are still at Release Candidate stage.
The .NET RIA services, a server-side piece that simplifies authentication and database operations, is available in a new July 2009 preview:
See this excellent post by Nikhil Kothari for more on RIA Services – it’s from March but does a good job of explaining what they are about.
Using Silverlight 3, or plan to? I’d love to hear from you, along with your views on what is best and what is worst about Microsoft’s RIA efforts.