.NET Framework

[Teller1900]

Can someone (in plain english, please) explain WTF the .NET Framework is? I just tried to install Paint.NET on my computer and it said it couldn't do so until I d/l the new .NET Framework. I've been running Paint on my fiance's computer for ages, now, no problem, why is this something that my (newer) computer doesn't have?

 

[Greebo]

It's a sandbox, something like Java, that allows for programs to run within the confines of a safe environment on your computer.

Its pretty much safe and trustworthy. You don't need to worry about installing it.

 

[TangoWhiskey]

It's a sandbox, something like Java, that allows for programs to run within the confines of a safe environment on your computer.

Its pretty much safe and trustworthy. You don't need to worry about installing it.

What Chuck said, plus I'd add that it is a library of pre-written code that programmers can use (also like Java!). Programs written in .NET languages need the .NET framework installed. There are several versions of the .NET framework, so even if you have .NET 2.0 installed, a program written to leverage the new features of .NET 3.0 or .NET 3.5 may still require you to install the latest framework.

More info: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.net_framework

 

[SkyHog]

Remember the old days of Visual Basic 6, where if you tried to run a program without the runtime libraries, you'd get an error message asking for "VBRUN600.DLL" or some such? Just like that, except Microsoft got a lot smarter about their error messages.

That error is, IMHO, what gave VB such a bad name, despite it being an amazingly powerful language.

 

[Teller1900]

Thanks guys. My computer was resistant to installing it at first, but after deleting the previous versions of the framework and a couple re-boots it finally finished the install. Now Paint.net works! My world is in harmony again.