.net

[Maksutov]

I've noticed more and more applications require .NET to be installed in order for them to run. What are the advantages of this framework? Is it a replacement/upgrade of Visual Basic? Is it more Microsloth bloatware? Plus an attempt to undermine Sun Java?

I understand the concept behind CLR, but has it really made things easier and more secure? Just curious here.

[Moose]

I've noticed more and more applications require .NET to be installed in order for them to run. What are the advantages of this framework?

Being able to run the gorram program that wants it?

Is it a replacement/upgrade of Visual Basic?

Yep.

Is it more Microsloth bloatware?

Yep.

Plus an attempt to undermine Sun Java?

Yep. (Sense a theme yet, Mak?)

I understand the concept behind CLR, but has it really made things easier and more secure? Just curious here.

Heh. You kidding? It's Microsoft. Of course it hasn't made things easier or more secure. Not for us, anyway.

Yeah, it's basically a VB library replacement. It's not quite as klunky (for the user, not sure for the proggy) as the old VB libraries, and it's recognized and patched by windows update, so there's some relief there from time to time. All in all, it's reasonably inobtrusive, so I have no specific complaints other than general crabbiness.

[Maksutov]

Thanks, Moose. Guess the various suspicions were well-founded. But, looking on the bright side of life, at least it's not Lotus Notes!

http://img137.imageshack.us/img137/566/iconwink6tn.gif

[snarkophilus]

It is grossly easier to program using the .NET components (especially with C#). I was pretty shocked the first time I tried it. I haven't done all that much, just some very basic stuff, but it seems like there's a big development advantage to it.

Also, I think there's a security advantage to it, in that the components are updated by each computer as part of a larger set. That way, if programs X and Y each have security holes, and they're both using the .NET component that has that hole, then both are fixed by fixing the one component. If there were fewer components in .NET, then each vendor would have to write its own software to perform that task, and those vendors would then be responsible for distributing bug fixes (which is very hard to do).

[Blob]

@Maksutov

Hum,

http://www.bautforum.com/showthread.php?t=49045

Its also worth downloading the DirectX End-User Runtimes (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=013c0f78-3c9b-44dc-b8be-46783bcac3cb&DisplayLang=en) from Micro$oft.

You can check you Directx by going to 'Start ->Run' in the Taskbar and typing 'dxdiag'.

[Maksutov]

@Maksutov

Hum,

http://www.bautforum.com/showthread.php?t=49045 Hum, yeah, I saw that, but I have no current interest in 3.0 since I'm an old fuddy-duddy who's still running Windows 2000 Professional. Plus I had questions about .NET in general.Its also worth downloading the DirectX End-User Runtimes (http://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=013c0f78-3c9b-44dc-b8be-46783bcac3cb&DisplayLang=en) from Micro$oft.

You can check you Directx by going to 'Start ->Run' in the Taskbar and typing 'dxdiag'.Already got 'em. Up to date and no problems. Thanks anyway!

:)

[Fraser]

One of my current courses at school is programming in C# for .net. Until now I've done nothing but Java, but I've got to say, i'm really impressed. From what I understand, Microsoft has actually gone further to make this language open source - Java isn't even open source. And there's a whole framework called Mono that lets you run your C# applications on Linux.

So, from a development standpoint, I've got to say, it's really nice.

[jumbo]

Add me to the fan list too.
Its not just of VB its for java (well j# not the same really) C++ C# VB and a host of other things.

Its is compared to other things ive had to endure a joy to work with. The database system that took several months (maybe more..it was before i joined) to get going properly at work i was able to recreate the functionality of within an afternoon. Not only that but the originals were in c/c++ and i rewrote an equivalent in c# in that time despite having only loaded for the first time a c# and .net compatible version of visual studio a few days before.

It makes development a lot clearer and intuitive especially over MFC which is what im mainly stuck with. Id absolutely love to transfer everything to .NET that i work on. It would cut the headaches of getting things to work and adding new features down to a bare minimum straight away.

MS seems to have got something right with .NET (The latest Visual Studio is very nice compared to the 1998 or so version im stuck with too!)