For Microsoft Silverlight browser applications, which client platforms were officially supported for running the Silverlight plug in?

Introduction / Context:
Microsoft Silverlight was a browser plug in technology used to build rich internet applications with media, graphics, and .NET based logic. Understanding which platforms officially supported Silverlight is important for historical and compatibility questions in technology interviews. This question focuses on the client operating systems that could run Silverlight through mainstream web browsers.

Given Data / Assumptions:

• Silverlight was deployed as a browser plug in, similar to Adobe Flash.
• Microsoft targeted mainstream desktop operating systems for Silverlight adoption.
• The question is about official Microsoft support, not third party projects.
• Mobile versions and later platform changes are not the main focus.

Concept / Approach:
Silverlight was primarily supported on Windows and Mac OS client machines. Users installed the Silverlight plug in in browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari. Although there were community efforts like Moonlight to bring similar functionality to Linux, these were not official Microsoft releases. Silverlight for Windows Phone existed, but the core browser plug in story revolved around desktop Windows and Mac OS. Therefore, the correct answer is the option that explicitly mentions both Windows and Mac OS via supported browsers.

Step-by-Step Solution:
Step 1: Recall that Microsoft designed Silverlight mainly for rich browser experiences on desktop operating systems. Step 2: List the mainstream desktop operating systems that Microsoft officially targeted, namely Windows and Mac OS. Step 3: Think about Linux support, which depended on community efforts rather than official Microsoft plug ins. Step 4: Choose the option that mentions Windows and Mac OS through browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari.

Verification / Alternative check:
You can verify historical information by remembering the typical download prompts on websites built with Silverlight. They often offered installers for Windows and Mac OS, but did not provide official installers for Linux. In documentation, Microsoft highlighted compatibility with Internet Explorer and Firefox on Windows and Safari on Mac OS as the primary support matrix. This confirms that option A is the correct statement about supported platforms for the browser plug in.

Why Other Options Are Wrong:
Option B is incomplete because it mentions only Windows and ignores Mac OS, which also had official support. Option C is incorrect because Microsoft did not provide a native Silverlight plug in for Linux. Option D is wrong because Silverlight is not a Java technology and does not depend on Java being installed. Option E is misleading because although Silverlight technology was used on Windows Phone, the question is about browser plug in platforms, not mobile only usage.

Common Pitfalls:
A common pitfall is to assume that every mainstream web technology supported all desktop operating systems equally. Another mistake is to confuse community projects like Moonlight with official vendor support. Remembering that Silverlight was originally marketed as a competitor to Flash on Windows and Mac OS desktops helps you answer platform questions accurately.

Final Answer:
Windows and Mac OS client machines through supported browsers such as Internet Explorer, Firefox, and Safari