.NET application development

[ramkumars]

Hi,

We are trying to create a light weight desktop application that will be downloaded from the server. We have a few queries regarding this application.

1. If this application is developed using .NET 2.0, then in the current scenario, what percentage of windows users are likely to have .NET 2.0 framework installed.

2. In terms of application size, how does an application developed using .NET 2.0 differ from an application developed using Win32 API's only.

3. What are the other points which makes a case for or against using .NET ?

Thanks in advance,
Ram

 

[JurkMonkey]

The 2.0 framework is not well distributed yet. MS provides it as an optional download on the win update site. The beauty though, is that you can create a setup wizard that automatically runs the 2.0 Framework redistributable package if the framework doesn't exist.

I believe .net applications tend to be a little heavier but not by much. They tend to be easier to manage too!

When deciding which language/framework to use you really have to look at your target users. If you are creating a simple front end application or data management system, .net is the way to go. We often find that C++ can render images/audio faster so we incorporate C++ pieces but use them in C# as com objects. If you are creating an application that you want to distrubute easily on many different OS, you might want to look at something like Java.

 

[chiph]

If you run your own web server, you can look at your logs to determine what percentage of your visitors have .net installed (it's reported in the browser identification string).

Current estimates are 60% market penetration and rising, as some hardware manufacturers (HP, etc) ship their drivers with the .net framework.

The .net assemblies are quite small, but there is the matter of the 20+ mb .net runtime (some people count this, others don't).

One thing you will have to pay close attention to is security. .net code that is run from an intranet or the internet is subject to strong security zone checking. Code that is run from the local machine (after installation, etc) has fewer checks.

Chip H.


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