What is .NET?

.NET is an integral part of many applications running on Windows and provides common functionality for those applications to run. This download is for people who need .NET to run an application on their computer. For developers, the .NET Framework provides a comprehensive and consistent programming model for building applications that have visually stunning user experiences and seamless and secure communication.
The domain name net is a generic top-level domain (gTLD) used in the Domain Name System of the Internet. The name is derived from network, indicating its originally intended purpose for organizations involved in networking technologies, such as Internet service providers and other infrastructure companies. However, restrictions were never enforced and the domain is now a general purpose name space. It is still popular with network operators, and is often treated as an alternate to com.

net is one of the original top-level domains[1] (the other five being com, edu, gov, mil, and org) despite not being mentioned in RFC 920, having been created in January 1985. As of 2011, it is the third most popular top-level domain, after .com and .de.[2]

VeriSign, the operator of net after acquiring Network Solutions, held an operations contract that expired on June 30, 2005. ICANN, the organization responsible for domain management, sought proposals from organizations to operate the domain upon expiration of the contract. VeriSign regained the contract bid, and secured its control over the net registry for another six years. On June 30, 2011, the contract with VeriSign was automatically renewed for another six years. This is because of a resolution approved by the ICANN board, which states that renewal will be automatic as long as VeriSign meets certain ICANN requirements