It's easy to get confused.

.Net is a generic term that is, unfortunately, applied to the Framework, languages, and Visual Studio.

The .Net Framework is a collection of classes and APIs used to create programs. Nothing more. You do not need Visual Studio to create applications that target the .Net Framework. You can use Notepad if you want.

"Microsoft Visual Studio 2005" is the proper name for Microsoft's development IDE that targets the .Net Framework.

MM runs on top of the .Net Framework.

Coming from a VFP perspective, think of the .Net Framework as the VFP base classes (it really is more) MM for VFP uses those base classes to allow you to develop applications. MM .Net uses the .Net baseclasses (.Net Framework).

Just as VFP has a runtime, so does the .Net Framework. However, it typically already exists on the target PC.

>I am getting confused on the Visual Studio terminology, platforms and such.
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>Is it called "Visual Stuido" or is it called ".NET", or "Visual Studio .NET" or what? Perhaps the ".NET Framework" runs on top of "Visual Studio"? Could someone use "Visual Studio" without using ".NET Framework" (even though it may not be smart, but is it doable?)
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>Does ".NET" really always mean ".NET Framework"?
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>If I were to the the MM .NET Framework, would I not use the Microsoft .NET framework at all, or does MM .NET run on top of it?
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>Please help me as a beginner researching this as I consider moving from VFP to "whatever it's called"