Software "upgrade" question

I'm still running happily enough on M$ Windows 2000 Pro, but I've just downloaded a trial version of an application program that tells me it needs "Microsoft .NET framework 1.1" before it can install, let alone run.

I have a hazy idea that .NET is part of Win XP. Does anyone know:

1. If I download .NET framework will I suddenly find myself in the middle of an operating system outgrade.

2. Is there any substitute / workaround

Thanks guys

Ghoti

Dear Ghoti,

.NET is not a part of Windows persay, in that you can install it without upgrading your operating system. .NET is a development environment which did not come with Windows XP so you need "runtime" libraries so that the program can execute.

So to answer your questions:

1) No you will not find yourself in any upgrade, you can install the libraries without any lasting affect to your operating system. Similarly you will be able to uninstall the .NET software with no affect to your machine.

2) If the software requires these libraries then there is no alternative but to install them.

Wow that was fast!! Thanks ctp.

I've just found a bit more on the Microsoft site. That tells me that I need to be running IE to install .NET, and burbles on about how wonderful it is with asp. I've managed to avoid both for years - if a website doesn't run under Firefox I don't want to know about it. Given that the software wants .NET though, would you guess that it's going to insist on having IE available? That's my guess; had to happen eventually I suppose.

thanks again

Ghoti

Not sure about the IE thing, although a lot of IE is built into Windows anyway whether you're using the actual browser or not.

The .NET framework can still be installed on Win2K Pro though. I trialled BullCharts on Win2K a year or two ago and it uses .NET. But it didn't like the latest version and I had to uninstall that and go back to an earlier version.

And no, there's no workaround. It's a whole development platform, and software designed for it has to have it there to access its functionality.

GP