.NET Framework - Is this another Microsoft "Take over the world"

thing, or can I put it on my computer and still be able to make it do things that -I-, not Bill Gates, want it to do?

I'm considering downloading Paint.NET, which is being developed by Washington State University with M$'s help, to replace the paint program that comes with XP. But it says I need the ".NET Framework" on my computer. Hell, it may already be on there, for all I know. I hate XP. Hate it, hate it, hate it. I miss DOS, 'cause I vaguely remember, back in the mists of time, actually being able to FIND stuff on my machine.

Link to the Paint.NET site: http://www.eecs.wsu.edu/paint.net/index.html

TIA for any advice!

You'll have to download and install it, about 22 megs.

.NET Framework is a somewhat similar idea as Java, a common runtime library that compiles and runs an intermediate code instead of an executable binary. Unlike Java though, the code needn't be written in a single language, there's compilers for many popular languages. And unlike the Java Write Once Run Anywhere philosophy, it's Write In Your Fave Language Run on Windows. There's a Linux project called Mono that's attempting to create a workalike environment that'll accept .NET runtime codes.

I haven't installed it, haven't come across anything compelling enough yet to make me want to pork up my system by 22 megs. And if it's anything like Sun's Java 2, which loads mountains of libraries to run a mere applet, I won't be doing it anytime soon.

However, I've got to say, I haven't heard any bad experiences with the .NET Framework. In fact, I've read a lot of positive reviews of .NET programs with nary a mention of troubles with .NET itself.

If you install .NET and Paint.NET, let us know how it goes.

I still haven't decided whether to put it on this machine or not, but if I do, I'll be sure and give a book report on it. I like the idea of replacing Paint, though. Gonna also take a look at Gimp for Windows to see how it survives in an XP environment.

Thanks again for the help!