What is .NET Framework?

[assiral]

This update was recommended by Microsoft and it's eating a lot of memory
space. What is it for?

I'm the "average Jane" computer user and if this program is for specialized
professionals, I might not need it and I could delete it.

I have various versions of this program listed: 2.0 and 3.0 (service pack 2)
and 3.5 Service pack 1.

If the program is still vital, could I remove the earlier versions only?
That would free up quite a bit of memory.

Thanks

 

[Raymond J. Johnson, Jr.]

This update was recommended by Microsoft and it's eating a lot of memory
space. What is it for?

I'm the "average Jane" computer user and if this program is for specialized
professionals, I might not need it and I could delete it.

I have various versions of this program listed: 2.0 and 3.0 (service pack 2)
and 3.5 Service pack 1.

If the program is still vital, could I remove the earlier versions only?
That would free up quite a bit of memory.

Thanks

You are trying to free up storage (hard drive) space, not
memory--they're two different things. You can read about .Net Framework
here: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework. You don't want to get
rid of it because some programs won't work without it. If you're running
out of disk space maybe it's time to get a new one. They're pretty cheap
these days.

 

[Patrick Keenan]

This update was recommended by Microsoft and it's eating a lot of memory
space. What is it for?

It's a set of support functions for programs that need it. Previously,
applications would have relied on files like MSVCRTx.DLL.

Applications that use it include video card utilities.

I'm the "average Jane" computer user and if this program is for
specialized
professionals, I might not need it and I could delete it.

It isn't, necessarily.

I have various versions of this program listed: 2.0 and 3.0 (service pack
2)
and 3.5 Service pack 1.

If the program is still vital, could I remove the earlier versions only?

Unfortunately, these versions are not cumulative, so that 3 does not replace
1 or 2. It depends on what the programs that use them call for.

That would free up quite a bit of memory.

Actually it's disk space, not memory.

If you are finding that these make a meaningful difference in the amount of
disk space, your drive is to small, and the solution is to get a bigger one,
and clone to it.

HTH
-pk

 

[TaurArian]

What is Microsoft .NET Framework?
http://www.microsoft.com/NET/

FYI -

Benefits of the Microsoft .NET Framework
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/829019

How to determine which versions of the .NET Framework are installed and
whether service packs have been applied
http://support.microsoft.com/kb/318785