.NET versions confusion

[Octopuss]

What's the difference between 3.0 and 3.5 and does version 3 include previous versions (1 and/or 2 to be specific) in it or not?

Additionally there are SPs released for .NET and that only adds to it - are there installers available for full packages with the particular SP included?

The Microsoft download pages are a mess, can't tell anything from that.

Edited December 27, 2008 by TheWalrus

[MagicAndre1981]

.net 3 is only 4 new technolgies (WCF, WPF, WF, Cardspace) which are based on .net 2.0. .net 3.5 adds a new compiler which supports LINQ and some other stuff, but it is still based on the .net 2.0 runtime.

to use .net 3.5 you must have .net 2 and 3 installed.

Install the .net 3.5 Sp1 Installer and you'll get the SPs for .net 2 and 3.

[Octopuss]

But the .NET 2 and 3 is not included in 3.5 then? It just has SPs for those in it, right?

So I still need to install whatever other version I might need individually if I understand correctly.

Also, 3.0 is included in Vista and cannot be removed it seems? Any way to integrate a SP for that in the installation (this might suite vLite section more, I know, but...). And last one - Vista only has 3.0 in it? Or maybe something else too?

[hj_fr]

The .Net 3.5 SP1 installer contains: .NET Framework 2.0, 3.0, 3.5 and their services pack/updates.

A full installer package is also available on the same page (231 MB)

Edited December 28, 2008 by hj_fr

[Octopuss]

How comes I downloaded the redist package of 3.5 and it still downloaded some 80MB?