Mindjet, makers of the wonderful MindManager mapping tool, are reporting that upgrading to .NET Framework 2.0 breaks one of their primary products. Users are recommended to not install .NET Framework 2.0.
This is not an isolated incident. In October, Microsoft released a fix to allow Tablet PC software to continue working with .NET 2.0.
How did we get into this mess? Why are lengthy articles required to document compatibility issues between different .NET versions?
I’ve said it before: it would be foolishness to develop client-side applications around the .NET framework. Use .NET on the server, where you’ve got full control of the working environment, but you simply can’t trust Microsoft not to pull the rug from under you on client systems.