FINALLY: .NET 2.0 Portable

[AyrA]

I've made a Portable .NET 2.0, it is a Launcher with 40.5 MB Size that contains the complete .NET Framework 2.0
It will launch any .NET 2.0 App that is dragged on to it.
Download and Command Line instructions: https://ayra.ch/apps/default.asp?show=78
Download only: https://ayra.ch/apps/bin/portable.NET.zip

Have Fun!
.NET 3.5 comming soon!

Please note: This app has only been tested on Windows XP as newer versions already contain the .NET Framework

[guinness]

Are you sure this isn't breaking the "Terms of use"?

[AyrA]

The .NET Framework itself is not modified

[guinness]

But aren't you redistributing the .NET Framework?

[JohnTHaller]

I'm pretty sure .NET can only be distributed as its installer. To do otherwise is a violation of the End User License Agreement, which is the only thing that gives you legal permission to distribute or use it at all in the first place.

[-.-]

this isnt legal, the portabledotnet project a few years ago ran into this problem and was pulled.

[AyrA]

As Stated here you need a valid an legally activated Microsoft Operating System, it does not disallow repacking the .NET Framework, because that is the way the redistributable should be used, packed in your .NET Application installer.
I want to declare here, that I am using the redistributable Version and not the one you can obtain from Windows Update. This Version is different, for example it can't be used with Visual Studio because all the Debugging Informations are removed.
Probably I should include the EULA in the Download

[stevegutry]

It doesn't matter if it is legal or not because it does not work. If you try to start a program as stated, an error message pops up asking you to install Dotnet 2 - so what's the point of this program? Obviously when it was thinstalled it was not on a clean computer.

[AyrA]

1. I've tried it myself on a Windows XP that does not had any .NET Version installed and it worked.
2. I have not used thinstall to create this App

[webfork]

I've made a Portable .NET 2.0, it is a Launcher with 40.5 MB Size that contains the complete .NET Framework 2.0
It will launch any .NET 2.0 App that is dragged on to it.

Evidently portable dotNET is a girlfriend who keeps breaking up with users on this forum because we appear to be really jaded and defensive.

Thank you for posting -- I'm really glad someone even attempted this. It would be nice to have some kind of clear idea of its legality so that we know your effort (and any testers' effort) is not in vein, but there is a real need for a program like this. The forum title is very apt.

Any chance you will publish the steps/code you used to create this?

[JohnTHaller]

Redistribution means redistributing the unaltered .NET installer itself, which is and has always been allowed. You bundle the unaltered installer within your installer and then extract and run it as part of the installer process. Taking the individual files of .NET and redistributing those has never been allowed to my knowledge.

[AyrA]

I've extracted the License from the Package, which I used, I just have seen, that it differs from the one linked above:

MICROSOFT SOFTWARE SUPPLEMENTAL LICENSE TERMS
MICROSOFT .NET FRAMEWORK 2.0

Microsoft Corporation (or based on where you live, one of its affiliates) licenses this supplement to you. If you are licensed to use Microsoft Windows operating system software (the “software”), you may use this supplement. You may not use it if you do not have a license for the software. You may use a copy of this supplement with each validly licensed copy of the software.

The following license terms describe additional use terms for this supplement. These terms and the license terms for the software apply to your use of this supplement. If there is a conflict, these supplemental license terms apply.
----------------------------------
By using this supplement, you accept these terms. If you do not accept them, do not use this supplement. If you comply with these license terms, you have the rights below.

1. SUPPORT SERVICES FOR SUPPLEMENT. Microsoft provides support services for this supplement as described at http://www.support.microsoft.com/common ... ional.aspx.

2. MICROSOFT .NET FRAMEWORK BENCHMARK TESTING. This supplement includes the .NET Framework component of the Windows operating systems (“.NET Component”). You may conduct internal benchmark testing of the .NET Component. You may disclose the results of any benchmark test of the .NET Component, provided that you comply with the following terms: (1) you must disclose all the information necessary for replication of the tests, including complete and accurate details of your benchmark testing methodology, the test scripts/cases, tuning parameters applied, hardware and software platforms tested, the name and version number of any third party testing tool used to conduct the testing, and complete source code for the benchmark suite/harness that is developed by or for you and used to test both the .NET Component and the competing implementation(s); (2) you must disclose the date (s) that you conducted the benchmark tests, along with specific version information for all Microsoft software products tested, including the .NET Component; (3) your benchmark testing was performed using all performance tuning and best practice guidance set forth in the product documentation and/or on Microsoft’s support web sites, and uses the latest updates, patches and fixes available for the .NET Component and the relevant Microsoft operating system; (4) it shall be sufficient if you make the disclosures provided for above at a publicly available location such as a website, so long as every public disclosure of the results of your benchmark test expressly identifies the public site containing all required disclosures; and (5) nothing in this provision shall be deemed to waive any other right that you may have to conduct benchmark testing. The foregoing obligations shall not apply to your disclosure of the results of any customized benchmark test of the .NET Component, whereby such disclosure is made under confidentiality in conjunction with a bid request by a prospective customer, such customer’s application(s) are specifically tested and the results are only disclosed to such specific customer. Notwithstanding any other agreement you may have with Microsoft, if you disclose such benchmark test results, Microsoft shall have the right to disclose the results of benchmark tests it conducts of your products that compete with the .NET Component, provided it complies with the same conditions above.

As you can see, they clearly state, that is it is in no way forbidden to alter that what you call an installer. It isn't even an installer, it just extracts the Files. The Files it extracts are in no way modified by me.

[JohnTHaller]

@AyrA - It's not about forbidding, it's about permission. As .NET is under copyright, you need permission to even download and use it. You also need permission to distribute it as-is. If you want to distribute it in another format, you need permission to do that as well. From a copyright perspective, you can't do something unless you have permission to from the copyright-holder. So, unless they give you permission, you can't do it.

And every single page about redistributing the .NET framework lists three options for redistribution:
1. Direct the user to manually download and install it.
2. Include the .NET framework setup utility within your installer and bootstrap it to run.
3. As a systems administrator, use the tools Microsoft provides to push it out to users in your organization.

At no point is there ever even a mention of taking the files out of their installer. And, yes, it is an installer. A self-extracting package that then kicks off the included MSI installer to function, which is how Microsoft distributes many OS updates (which is what .NET is considered, technically).

In the end, nowhere in that EULA nor anywhere on Microsoft's site do I see anything that would give anyone permission to alter in any way the .NET installation package as Microsoft makes it available.

[AyrA]

Again, it is not an installer, it just extracts files, there is no msi or executable that is started after extracting

[JohnTHaller]

I just downloaded the copy of .NET 2.0 Framework redistributable from Microsoft. When you run it, it self-extracts the files from within and automatically starts up the bundled MSI file. This is the download that every page talking about redistributing .NET on microsoft.com links to. Nowhere does it give permission to redistribute in any form other than this exact redistributable EXE file.