Do to some puter problems, I have had my computer hard drive completely redone. Upon reinstalling my windows 98 and then all the updates, I have been confronted with this update for .net framework. Being computer illiterate I have no idea whether or not I need this download and because it is a long download I do not want to do it if I dont need it. I guess my question is does this download apply if I use hotmail, msn messenger, and occasionally sign in to .net on the msn home page???? All the info I have found so far on the dang msn help screen makes this download sound like a proffessional business thing!!! UGH I hope someone can help!!!

No. You do not need .NET Framework for hotmail or messenger, although you do need a .NET Passport to setup a hotmail account

Loosely defined, .NET represents Microsoft's latest suite of computer programming languages (i.e. Microsoft Visual Studio.NET). You need the .NET framework if you wish to run software developed in Visual Studio.NET (i.e. VB.NET, C++.NET, C#.NET)

Thank you so much for your help, I really didnt want to do the download and then find out that a .net passport and .net framework werent the same thing!!!! This is a great forum, and is now saved to my favs!!! Wish I had found you before my puter crashed to begin with, might have changed the outcome!!!

Glad to be of help