Microsoft plans to enable the Python and Ruby languages to be used for client-side development of rich Internet applications that leverage the company's Silverlight browser plug-in technology. The intent is to let developers continue using these languages on the client side without having to also incorporate JavaScript. While use of JavaScript for Web development has been called AJAX (Asynchronous JavaScript and XML), Microsoft is referring to its planned capabilities as APAX and ARAX, with Python and Ruby replacing JavaScript in these new acronyms.

"The difference between AJAX, ARAX, and APAX is the language, if you will," said Brian Goldfarb, group manager for Microsoft's developer division, in an interview on Friday afternoon. Today, it is common for developers to use JavaScript in the browser. But with Microsoft's planned release of Silverlight 2 later this year, developers could begin using Python and Ruby on the client as well. Ruby and Python already are being used for server-side development.

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