.Net Framework

[cmpm]

Ok, what's the deal with this .net framework stuff.
I was told I needed it to run ie7, yet I am running ie 7 without it.

Many programs require it for their programs to work.
What does it do? What's it's purpose?

I've added it before and it slowed my browsing down, took it out and back up to speed.

Anyone know anything about this?

Thankyou.

[Wordzilla]

It's just like vb runtime and java runtime environment, or even Adobe flash player plugin for your browsers.

".net applications (and thus .net framework 2) are becoming more and more popular; if you install new software on a fairly regular basis you are going to need to install it sooner or later" -- Mouser

To learn more about it, read http://en.wikipedia..../wiki/.net_framework

I was told I needed it to run ie7, yet I am running ie 7 without it.

Perhaps Windows Update has already installed it for you (clandestinely! without your knowledge!), but no worries, it won't harm your PC.

[cmpm]

Windows update shows that I need to install it.
But I haven't yet. Nor is it in add-remove programs.
So I assume it's not on my machine.
And when I try to install some programs that require it-usually .net 2.0-I get a notice to install the .net framework and cancel the install.

It's not a big deal but I wanted to know why it's a need to run other programs mainly.

I suppose developers use whatever it does to help with their programs.

Thanks for the reply, I'll check out the wiki on it.

[jgpaiva]

Here's my explanation (i'm sure other people will find better ones )
The technical part: .net is a runtime library, that allows programs written in a .net language (C#, visual basic.net, j#, asp, etc..). Thus, if you have a program that is written using that language, you'll need to have .net installed and running.

As for ie7 needing .net running, that's a lie. I already ran it without having .net installed.
But... There might be some add-ons for ie7 that need it.

[cmpm]

Yeah...lol...I tryed to put an add on in and got rejected

Maybe I'll experiment with 2.0 a bit more.
But it sure seemed to be the culprit that slowed my browsing.
Going to get a faster machine soon, on a pentium 3 500mhz right now with 640p100 ram.
So I'm like 2 decades behind in computers.
Actually I have a Pent D 3.0 that never even hiccups at anything and has .net 1.0 thru 3.0 on it and has speed to spare.
But my kid uses it for his games and he plays them a lot which is no problem.
I really don't need a lot of power, but apparently I'm going to have to get a better comp.
Watching the price drops closely....

[app103]

I can understand why you would hesitate installing it on your current machine. I was pretty hesitant to install it on my P1, 233mhz, 64mb ram, WinME.

But I finally did because I needed it for some things I really wanted to run.

Here are my observations and tips from that slow machine with both .net 1.1 and 2.0:

Some .net applications will slow down your whole system when they are starting up and they can take considerably longer to start, but once they get going, they are just as fast as any other application.

Sometimes if you are running quite a bit of stuff, when starting a .net application, it can put you dangerously low on resources and cause your pc to lock up. If you have an application like that, close some stuff...as much as you can, run the .net application, and then open the other stuff back up once it gets going. (same thing applies if you run a .net application and the window is full of black areas or missing parts)

I have had better luck running .net applications than most java ones. Java can be a killer on an old pc from application start to close...but .net is only a killer when starting them.

On an old machine like yours (and my dinosaur) I don't think I would have installed IE 7...I would definitely stick with IE 6. (there is no IE 7 for the OS I run on mine, so it's not even anything for me to consider)

If you are so hungry for the tabs you get with IE 7, you could use either Opera or Firefox and have them, and not have to deal with as much of a slowdown as you do with IE 7 & .net combination. I ran Firefox on my old machine just fine when I wanted to do some serious surfing...and ran a tiny little no frills browser for opening a quick single page, the rest of the time.

You could wait and get a better pc before enjoying .net applications, or you can take my tips and attempt to enjoy them now. The choice is yours, but you will find that the longer you wait to get a new pc, the harder it is going to be to avoid installing .net.

[lanux128]

if i'm not mistaken, it will be installed automatically with WinXP SP2 and Vista.

[cmpm]

No, lanux, it didn't install automatically with my xp cd.
And I have sp2 also.
Perhaps newer xp cds have it, I don't know.

Thanks for the info app, but I think the 2 or 3 programs I tryed isn't worth the trouble. I had downloaded .net just to see what it would do to my computer before and didn't like the results.

Right now I can surf and use what I have about as fast as a better machine, so I'm not going to change it. Java hasn't even been noticed as a slow down and I use it frequently because I use this machine for chat sessions that are java based.

The only program that overloads it is Skype in video mode. And even then it's only a second or two of garbled talk and video. Although that's enough to piss me off..lol:).

Thanks.

[cmpm]

O and I got ie7 just to stay secure...lol...it was a security update.
Whereas .net is optional software in windows update.
I hardly ever use the tabs.

I have another computer right next to my main one to run different software so I got it split up between the two. A business upgraded and I got their old computers, and I kind of enjoy seeing how much I can get them to handle.

Thought about using Firefox but haven't switched to date.
My oldest son keeps encouraging me to switch though.

[jgpaiva]

Thought about using Firefox but haven't switched to date.
My oldest son keeps encouraging me to switch though.

-cmpm (May 13, 2007, 02:09 PM)

If you were running ie6, i would also. It was a pretty damn bad browser compared with the alternatives.
IE7 is pretty good, though. It's also more anoying than the alternatives (with security stuff, like wrong certificates and such), thus, i think it's more apropriate for less knowledgeable users.

[lanux128]

No, lanux, it didn't install automatically with my xp cd.
And I have sp2 also.

-cmpm (May 13, 2007, 01:57 PM)

yes, it is only included in Windows Vista. but i do wonder how did it get on my pc?

[cmpm]

ha lanux...too funny....
probably did it along with other updates or a program

jgpaiva-going to give Firefox a shot

[lanux128]

cmpm, thinking back i realise that on my PC, .NET framework must have been installed with some software.. anyway, do go ahead and give Firefox a try..

[MrCrispy]

The .NET framework is not installed as part of any OS or service pack before Vista, and is always an optional install in Windows Update. There are a few programs that depend on it, but not that many, and there are no runtime dependencies in Windows on .NET (even in Vista), which means it will not run unless you are running a program that depends on it, so it won't take up resources unless needed. In my experience it is faster than Java.

[app103]

It's not installed with any official original version of Windows except Vista...but there are OEM's that are/were including it in their software bundle with XP.

I didn't have to download or install .net 1.1 because it came pre-installed on my XP Home SP2 PC.