Online home business owners depend on a lot of different software tools to
manage both their websites and their office procedures. They would soon become
overwhelmed with the work if they did not automate various parts of their
workload.
While evaluating new software usually a trial download is offered to “test
drive” it and see exactly how it functions. As part of the download and
installation of this software more and more applications are now requiring that
the user first install the “.NET Framework 2.0”. What exactly is this and
should you be concerned when asked to install it?
.Net (pronounced “dot Net”) has been around since 2002. It’s not brand new or
beta technology. It is software that is developed and distributed by Microsoft.
If you were to search their website for .Net, you would find it defined as: “…
software that connects information, people, systems, and devices.”
Initially Microsoft began naming all of their software with .Net added to it.
This marketing plan did not work as expected so they went a different
direction; giving the impression that .Net was dead.
In reality .Net is far from dead. More specifically the “.Net Framework” goes
far deeper than the initial definition above. The “Framework” is a collection
of library type programs Microsoft has written which make writing business and
other applications for the Windows OS more reliable and robust. It is used
primarily by software developers and programmers.
An average person downloading and installing the framework directly from
Microsoft’s website would probably not be impressed after installation. From
their view point nothing would work differently on their PC and there would be
no additional applications to run.
Microsoft defines the “Framework” as: “… an integral Windows component for
building and running the next generation of software applications and Web
services.”
The “Framework” operates between business applications and the Windows
operating system. It provides a vast collection of programming libraries which
developers can use to display windows, manipulate text and numbers, send email,
talk to other computers, etc. It also provides a consistent method of
programming for the desktop environment, the web server environment and many of
the new portable electronic devices being released. The framework also takes
advantage of the latest programming techniques (object oriented development)
which have been in use by other programming languages such as Java.
So what does this all mean for the average home business owner and should they
really even care?
- The .Net Framework is reliable and safe to install.
- Business applications are easier to install and keep updated.
- Business applications can be integrated more easily with other applications
and other websites. They can also make better use of new hardware devices being
continually released.
- Microsoft is making stronger security practices a more integrated part of
software development.
- Microsoft is integrating the .Net framework in its own software products
which it sells.
- The .Net Framework is becoming a core part of the Windows OS. In the near
future it will no longer be a separate download.
The .Net Framework is NOT “magic software” which allows all new applications to
be bug-free and reliable. It is simply a complex framework or environment for
programmers to develop with. It also provides a richer, cleaner, and more
complete environment than in the past. Good software development and quality
control procedures are still very important for the final business application
product.
So today, if you see new home business software products which require the
“.NET Framework 2.0”, feel assured that the latest and greatest development
environment is being used as part of the software product and that it is safe
to install.