For a while now Microsoft has been working with Mono, a Novell sponsored .Net implementation for Linux to not only get .Net onto multiple platforms, but also to get Silverlight across to all of the platforms. A key step in gaining a stronger foothold in the flash dominated world.

This implementation, named Moonlight allows for Linux users to view Silverlight applications online just as any Windows or Mac user would, and with many web developers praising Silverlight, this should only be a benefit to the web development community.

For the Linux community, this also has the extra bonus of allowing Desklets to be created, this is synonymous with Adobe AIR, which allows desktop applications to be developed by web developers without having to learn advanced skills.

(Source: http://www.liveside.net/blogs/main/archive/2008/05/14/moonlight-silverlight-for-linux-is-available-now.aspx)