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In a recent event David asked  what is XAML or when you hear XAML what do you think of?

Someone in the audience replied: Camel?  Thought  it was funny .. Your comments...

Here is a good site that has some very cool infor about XAML.   XAML.NET They have a very nicely worded definition on their main page which I will include here. I hope that they don't mind my posting their content directly.  I definitely recommend their site for finding good XAML info.  i strongly recommend for folks to get up to speed on it since it will have a trememndous impact on our future software development.

What is XAML?  (Extensible Application Markup Language; pronounced "zammel")

XAML is a declarative XML-based language that defines objects and their properties in XML. XAML syntax focuses upon defining the UI (user interface) for the Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF) and is therefore separate from the application code behind it.

Although XAML is presently for use on the Windows platform, the WPF/E (Windows Presentation Foundation/Everywhere) initiative will eventually bring XAML to other platforms and devices.

XAML syntax describes objects, properties and their relationships to one another. Generic XAML syntax defines the relationship between objects and children. Properties can be set as attributes or by using 'period notation' to specify the object as a property of its parent.

For example:
<object>
     <child property="x" property="y">
        <child.property>
             <class property="u" property="v"/>
        </child.property>
     </child>
     <child>
     </child>
</object>

The new Windows Vista has a graphic interface based on WPF and XAML. XAML help the developers want a beautiful GUI in their applications. You can choose the development mode: design the interface visually (with Microsoft Expression Interactive Designer or WPF Designer codename "Cider") or write the XAML code that automatically generate the interface. You can see the WPF GUI in the Windows Vista interface.

If you would like to see some of the capabilities of XAML, Check out this very cool Windows Vista Mashup

I was first exposed to XAML in the early days of Code Camp in Fort Lauderdale.
It was then called Avalon. I was impressed by the 3D graphical user interface.
First, there was  HTML, XML, and now XAML ( a nice user interface markup language).

To find out more about other user interface markup languages,
( BXML, GladeXML, GNOME,  Gul, OpenLaszlo, MXML, QuiX, UIML, XAML, XUL, ZUL),
visit http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Comparison_of_user_interface_markup_languages

Creating a user interface with XAML is very simple.

<Canvas
xmlns="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml/presentation"     The default (Windows Presentation Foundation) namespace
 
xmlns:x="http://schemas.microsoft.com/winfx/2006/xaml"                      The XAML namespace
 
>
<Button>Click Me</Button>
</Canvas>

For more details and examples visit: http://windowssdk.msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms752059.aspx

That new stuff in Vista is called Windows Aero

Just to add another point with regards to XAML and its use in .NET 3.0 WPF applications.  There has always been a great divide between the developer and the designer with regards to creating good user interfaces.  The designer and the developer were rarely the same person and were very often not on the same, no pun intented, page.  The use of XAML and the code behind model in WPF provides the much more realistic capability of the designer and developer to truly work collaboratively.  And since XAML compiles practically to the same IL that the identical functionality created completely in a more traditional .NET lanuage like C# does, XAML provides flexibility for development.

Hi!

If you are interested in realizing simple XAML Windows, you can try the XamlPadX v2 from Microsoft, available at http://blogs.msdn.com/llobo/archive/2006/12/30/xamlpadx-v2.aspx.

Regards.