Microsoft .net Framework version 2.0

[vittovangind]

Hello,

I am on Mac and I need to run an application which requires .net 2.0.

Could I run it with VMware Fusion?

Would I need to install Windows XP? What are my options?

Thank you for your help!

vittovangind

[bittondb]

Yes, XP. While Mono allows you to run .NET on OS X, it's free and you get what you paid for. IMHO, of course. Oh and BTW, I was a contributor so I have license to criticize.

[WoodyZ]

In you have a Windows Program that requires Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 in order to run then you could use VMware Fusion to create a Windows OS Virtual Machine and then install Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 in Windows and then install the Windows Program that you have requiring .NET 2.0 and then you would be able to use your .NET 2.0 necessary program on your Intel Based Mac.

[bittondb]

Absolutely.

[WoodyZ]

Absolutely.

Is this just another way of saying stay away from Mono?

[vittovangind]

Yes please clarify I'm getting confused?:|

[WoodyZ]

Yes please clarify I'm getting confused?:|

You can either use Mono which even one of the contributors is saying it free and you get what you pay for which typically means that is not necessarily the best way to go or you can do as I suggested and built a Window VM using Fusion and install .NET 2.0 and the program that requires .Net 2.0.

I personally have not tried Mono and because I have a need to use Windows on my Mac I would not even consider installing Mono on my Mac. If you have no other need to run any other WinApp then this one your asking the .NET question about then Mono may be worth checking out. But just a word of caution I would do considerable research before do it.

[bittondb]

Not to belittle the Mono project, it's simply not complete. Go with the real deal.

[vittovangind]

Ok thank you now I got it clear

I think I will go for the real deal.

Some more questions though:

- I only need Windows XP version because Vista might be to heavy. Is that available for free?

- Where would I find support in case I don't manage to install Fusion and then Windows properly? Where could I find the explicit procedure?

- Finally, would installing Fusion and Windows XP slow down my laptop?

Thanks for your help

[admin]

- I only need Windows XP version because Vista might be to heavy. Is that available for free?

Nope, You still have to pay Microsoft.

- Where would I find support in case I don't manage to install Fusion and then Windows properly? Where could I find the explicit procedure?

If you've bought Fusion, you're entitled to 30 days free web-based support (login to your store account, and ther eshould be a link to request support). You can also ask on these forums; while the forums are not official support, they may be faster.

- Finally, would installing Fusion and Windows XP slow down my laptop?

There is some overhead with running an entire second (or third, or fourth, or...) operating system, but if you set things up properly, you probably won't notice the difference.

[vittovangind]

Ok thank.

Also, I have read that we might incur an unknown quantity of bugs while running a virtualisation. Are you somehow aware of those?

[getwired]

Well, it depends. If the software calls into DirectX 10 or certain aspects of DirectX 9, then yes - you will/may hit problems. Virtualization by itself is rarely the cause for bugs to be made apparent. More often it's how the software itself reacts to the constrained hardware of a VM (something VMware has always continued to improve better than most of the competitors).

[vittovangind]

Thank you "getwired"

Another question:

I understood that Parallels (a competitor from Fusion) has been especially build for Mac and as such Mac OS is still a boss and has excellent build-in tools, such as great firewall. Overall, I understood that with parallels there are no need to install antivirus software.

Is that also the case with Fusion? Would I need to install antivirus software?

[WoodyZ]

I understood that Parallels (a competitor from Fusion) has been especially build for Mac and as such Mac OS is still a boss and has excellent build-in tools, such as great firewall. Overall, I understood that with parallels there are no need to install antivirus software.

Is that also the case with Fusion? Would I need to install antivirus software?

If you are going to install a Microsoft Windows OS, no matter what, how or where it's installed, and allow it to connect to the Internet then only an idiot would not install antivirus software!

[admin]

I understood that Parallels (a competitor from Fusion) has been especially build for Mac

That's a line of marketing junk. Parallels isn't a native app; they use a cross-platform toolkit. Fusion on the other hand was rewritten in Cocoa (we could have used X11 and released earlier, but want to get things right). Yes, it's probably true that they're built especially for OS X, but what that actually means is so vague as to be useless. For example, just packaging the final build up into a .dmg could be "especially built for Mac", since other platforms won't find a .dmg useful.

and as such Mac OS is still a boss

Both Fusion and Parallels are hosted products, so OS X is ultimately in control.

Overall, I understood that with parallels there are no need to install antivirus software.

You should have antivirus (and/or other security measures) no matter what virtualization product you use (unless your guests never connect to the internet or access questionable media). I believe Parallels comes with a 6-month trial version of some antivirus software, but there are many free products so I don't see this as a disadvantage for Fusion.

[bittondb]

Just as an aside, have you attempted to run OS X inside a Fusion VM?

[admin]

Up until recently, the OS X EULA was not clear about running in a VM (Leopard Server explicitly allows it); there are also some technical challenges. I've heard the hacked copies circulating the internet can run, but, well, they're hacked/pirated versions; I'm not going to touch them with a seventeen-foot pole. So, no.

[vittovangind]

so can I run Fusion on Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11???

[admin]

10.4.11 works perfectly fine as a host for running Fusion on, but you cannot currently run (an unhacked copy of) OS X as a guest.

[WoodyZ]

so can I run Fusion on Mac OS X Tiger 10.4.11???

YES 10.4.9 or higher!