Microsoft .NET Framework redistributable package installs the .NET Framework runtime and associated files required to run applications developed to target the .NET Framework.
Reviewing 4.0 (Mar 30, 2012)
Microsoft .Net Framework Help and Tutorial
http://vb.net-informatio...framework_tutorials.htm
Merca
Reviewing 4.0 (Oct 12, 2010)
Most of the negative comments don't even understand what the .Net Framework does.
1.) You don't need the framework unless you use programs written against it. I would just wait until you actually need one of these programs to use it.
2.) The Framework doesn't eat up any resources other than disk space. It's only used when a program uses it and only the libraries needed are used. It does not affect system performance when not in use EXCEPT for disk space.
3.) .Net (and Java) are not for lazy programmers, it's for programmers that don't want to recreate the wheel over and over. Why use low level API's to access TCP/IP functions when you can use a cleanly written wrapper in minimal lines of code. Further, it's not a dead language framework, it's very much alive and in use (as is Java).
4.) The file size requirements are large, BUT those requirements are only because of the installation, when all of the temp files are deleted after the install it takes far less than the install requirement states.
5.) The only versions of the framework you need are the ones that you have programs that run against them. Frankly, I wouldn't install any of them until I needed to. Why store 1.1 when it's not needed?
That said, the install is slow. :P
Reviewing 4.0 (Jul 2, 2010)
This is nothing but junk. I didn't download this file, but trying to get it from the Microsoft update, and it messes up both my desktop and laptop. I've also never seen a program take so long to install. I would stay away from this piece of crap.
64-bit versions are available for all versions of .NET AFAIK
Download here:
http://www.microsoft.com...62cb&displaylang=en
Is there a 64 bit version of this program (beyond 2.0)?