I have Windows Automatic Updates set to notify me when updates are available, but not to install them. And, as most of you know, a couple of weeks ago an Microsoft issues an update described in this topic title.
I've got .NET Framework 2 Service Pack 1 installed, but I'm totally unfamiliar with what this program does. So I'm in a quandry whether or not to download and install it.
I'd appreciate a helpful, dumbed-down definition for .NET Framework (e.g., why it's relevant...what it's used for...how necessary is it...etc.) and advice whether or not I should download and install the newest 3.5 SP1 version.
I've had .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 installed for a long time now, and as of yet haven't ran into a program that explicitly requires it. You don't really need to install it unless a program you download requires it, then again it doesn't hurt having it already installed.
This is a framework required to use programs written in C#, VB.NET, and lots of other programming languages.
It only takes 250 MB. If you want to use programs written in .NET languages, you should update it.
Thanks for the above information.
BTW, you should consider looking at updates more often... .NET 3.5 SP1 was released on 11 August 2008...
Having Automatic Updates set to automatically install updates is a good thing...
I have Automatic Updates set to notify me when updates are released. And I look at them as soon as I get the notification. This particular update notification (and for clarity purposes, I'm referring KB951847) did not appear on my system until a week or two ago. So, the disparity between the release date of 8/11/08 that you state in your email versus when the notification appeared on my system is a mystery.
I've had .NET Framework 3.5 SP1 installed for a long time now, and as of yet haven't ran into a program that explicitly requires it. You don't really need to install it unless a program you download requires it, then again it doesn't hurt having it already installed.
Thanks for the comment. I'll probaby go ahead and install it. After reading Aethec's post I got curious to see if I could figure out the reason for the delayed notification of this update on my system. So I googled the update number KB951847. FWIW, I didn't find an answer to my timing question, but came across this thread: http://www.askwoody.com/2009/net-patch-patch-patch/
For what it's worth, I only have up to version 2 installed and I have never found anything telling me I need a newer version to run it. Maybe one day, but until then I'm leaving things as they are.