I am building a .NET application and considering deploying it through XBAP. This requires that the users have .NET 3.0 - 3.5 installed on their machine. Are there any kind of estimates of how many people have this? As a developer it's really hard to estimate. Any thoughts?
+7
A:
If you only need .Net 3.0, this comes along with Vista RTM/Server 08, so you can look at those penetration numbers for a guaranteed base. Likewise, Windows 7 will have .Net 3.5 baked in.
But making it a prerequesite to install isn't really a big deal, when the installer is only a few megabytes. See: Scott Hanselman's SmallestDotNet project.
See also: What is the market share for the various .Net framework versions?.
Factor Mystic
2009-08-16 21:06:51
+7
A:
Some thoughts;
- anybody with Vista will have .NET 3.0 (so WPF) pre-installed
- anybody with Windows 7 will have .NET 3.5 SP1 pre-installed
Maybe look at these numbers instead
Alternatively, perhaps consider deploying as Silverlight 3? Similar to WPF (although cut-down), but cross-platform and cross-browser. And a very small download.
If you need more than Silverlight, then you might point users (without the required .NET version) at the "client profile"; a smaller download than "full" .NET.
Marc Gravell
2009-08-16 21:09:57
Well I need greater privileges then what silverlight can provide. And yet, in numbers... what is the percent of windows xp's users that have .net 3-3.5 installed?
vondip
2009-08-16 21:13:17
No idea ;-p I'm mainly "corporate", so if I have a pre-requisite I get the network guys to push it out via WSUS ;-p
Marc Gravell
2009-08-16 21:34:40
Do you have a problem with installing .NET 3.5 SP1 along with your application?
John Saunders
2009-08-16 21:35:14
Well depends on how small the installation is. If the client doesn't have any previous version of .net it might take too much time.
vondip
2009-08-16 21:38:32
You'd need to assume they have _some_ version of .NET installed, or else ship _some_ version with your app. Give that, why not ship the latest?
John Saunders
2009-08-17 09:22:27