Windows Management Framework 3.0 for Win7 x64

[charliec]

A quick question. I just finishing updating my Win7 system with all
the Important Updates, and see an Optional Update called "Windows
Management Framework 3.0 for Win7 x64" - can anyone explain what it is
and if I would be better off updating it?

Thanks
charliec

 

[VanguardLH]

I just finishing updating my Win7 system with all the Important
Updates, and see an Optional Update called "Windows Management
Framework 3.0 for Win7 x64" - can anyone explain what it is and if I
would be better off updating it?

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34595

 

[Yousuf Khan]

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34595

Actually, this doesn't really explain what WMF 3.0 does, it just lists
what is being updated.

Anybody actually know what WMF is used for?

Yousuf Khan

 

[..winston]

Like the reference that VanguardLH provided in the link does more than state what it being updated.

e.g.
"Windows Management Framework 3.0 makes some updated management functionality available"

i.e. it's not only updating and exiting application (Powershell) but adding new features that were not previously present. Other
applications features existing and new are also noted in the reference.

The update, though, is optional...If the user is does not use or need PowerShell, WMI, CMI etc...then not much can be gained by
installing the update beyond ensuring that existing files that are previously provided with Windows are current release versions.

--
....winston
msft mvp


"Yousuf Khan" wrote in message

http://www.microsoft.com/en-us/download/details.aspx?id=34595

Actually, this doesn't really explain what WMF 3.0 does, it just lists
what is being updated.

Anybody actually know what WMF is used for?

Yousuf Khan

 

[VanguardLH]

Actually, this doesn't really explain what WMF 3.0 does, it just lists
what is being updated.

Anybody actually know what WMF is used for?

A "framework" is an environment, like a set of tools, programs,
functions, coding, or whatever. So the article lists what makes up that
particular framework. If you want help with the components of the
framework, you can search on them by name to get more information on
what they do or for what they are used.

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Software_framework

That's why, for example, the .Net programming libs are called a
framework (i.e., the full name is .Net Framework).

While you may not personally require a framework (because you don't
utilize or code for it), you may have programs that rely on its
presence. For example, there is much more to the Java framework than
just the java.exe file or Java plug-in. You don't need it if you don't
have any apps that need Java and you don't code using Java. I only know
that none of my apps need Java (and I don't visit any sites that need
it) because I tested them after removing Java. I had one app,
Tubemaster++, that used Java but it too often didn't correctly close a
recorded video stream so it wasn't playable, so it was no loss to
uninstall the only Java app that I had and none of the sites in my 600+
bookmarks need Java.

If you know that the WMF isn't needed by any apps or utilities on your
host then don't install it. You could just leave it uninstalled and
even choose to hide it from showing in further updates and then wait
until you happen to install an app that says it needs that stuff. For
example, one day you might install a program that is really a PowerShell
script but it should tell you its requirements and maybe even have its
installer test for the presence of PowerShell and, if absent, tell you
to go get it. This is the same for apps that need some minimum version
of MDAC -- another programming framework that some apps will require for
you to run them. WMF is an optional update. Decide whether you want it
get it or not. Windows itself doesn't need it (although I think that
I've seen some optional admin tools that were written using PowerShell)
but you might have apps that need it.