Spotlight On: Microsoft .NET Framework

Please find below some of the important links which have been collated on Microsoft Core .NET Platform.

.NET Framework Conceptual Overview
The .NET Framework has two main components:  the common language runtime and the .NET Framework class library.
The common language runtime is the foundation of the .NET Framework.

About Microsoft .NET 3.5 Framework
Microsoft .NET Framework version 3.5. Framework is an integral Windows component that supports building and running the next generation of applications and Web services. The key components of the .NET Framework are the common language runtime (CLR) and the .NET Framework class library, which includes ADO.NET, ASP.NET, Windows Forms, and Windows Presentation Foundation (WPF).

.NET Framework 3.5 Architecture
The architecture of the .NET Framework version 3.5 and 3.5 Service Pack 1 (SP1) builds upon the earlier versions of the .NET Framework.

.NET Framework System Requirements
 - System Requirements for Version 3.5
 - System Requirements for Version 2.0 
 - System Requirements for Versions 1.0 and 1.1

Official downloads
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.5 Service Pack 1
.NET Compact Framework 3.5 Redistributable
Windows Installer 4.5 Redistributable
Microsoft .NET Framework 3.0 Redistributable Package
Microsoft .NET Framework 2.0 Service Pack 1 (x86)
Microsoft .NET Framework Version 2.0 Redistributable Package (x86)
Public Sector Developer Weblog
Download the .NET Framework 3.0 Runtime Components
.NET Compact Framework API Documentation
ActiveSync 3.7.1
Windows Mobile-based Smartphone 2003 SDK
Introducing the .NET Micro Framework
Building Devices for Windows SideShow with the .NET Micro Framework
Porting the .NET Micro Framework 
.NET Compact Framework Downloads 

Resources

BCL Team Blog
https://blogs.msdn.com/bclteam/archive/2008/11/04/what-s-new-in-the-bcl-in-net-4-0-justin-van-patten.aspx

Community Blogs
https://weblogs.asp.net/communityblogs/archive/tags/Web+Services/.NET+Framework/default.aspx

Aaron Ruckman's Web Log
https://blogs.msdn.com/aaronru/archive/2008/01/19/installing-net-framework-3-5-language-packages-with-the-core.aspx

Wenlong Dong's Blog 
https://blogs.msdn.com/wenlong/archive/2008/09/07/net-4-0-wf-wcf-and-oslo.aspx

Wikipedia - .NET Framework
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework

Architecture
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework#Architecture

Standardization and licensing
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework#Standardization_and_licensing

.NET Framework 3.5
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework#.NET_Framework_3.5

.NET Framework 4.0
 https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework#.NET_Framework_4.0

.NET vs. Java and Java EE
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/.NET_Framework#.NET_vs._Java_and_Java_EE

Microsoft .NET new logo and branding
https://www.uxpassion.com/2008/10/new-microsoft-net-logo-and-branding/

.NET Framework Developer Center
https://msdn.microsoft.com/netframework/

.NET Framework Technologies
Data Platform Development using ADO.NET
 https://msdn.microsoft.com/hi-in/data/default(en-us).aspx

Getting Started with ASP.NET
https://msdn.microsoft.com/hi-in/asp.net/default.aspx

Base Class Libraries Community
https://msdn.microsoft.com/hi-in/netframework/aa569603(en-us).aspx

.NET Micro Framework
https://msdn.microsoft.com/hi-in/netframework/bb267253(en-us).aspx

Windows CardSpace
https://msdn.microsoft.com/hi-in/netframework/aa663320(en-us).aspx

Windows Communication Foundation
https://msdn.microsoft.com/hi-in/netframework/aa663324(en-us).aspx

Windows Client.NET
https://windowsclient.net/

Windows Workflow Foundation
https://msdn.microsoft.com/hi-in/netframework/aa663328(en-us).aspx

.NET Framework 4.0
https://channel9.msdn.com/tags/.NET+Framework+4.0/

Parallel Programming with .NET:.NET Framework 4.0 Poster for Download
https://blogs.msdn.com/pfxteam/archive/2008/11/03/9037931.aspx

Sandboxing in .NET 4.0
https://blogs.msdn.com/shawnfa/archive/2009/05/22/sandboxing-in-net-4-0.aspx

Tools and Utilities
.NET Tools and Utilities 
 https://www.c-sharpcorner.com/Resources/Tools.aspx

WPF Toolkit
https://sweux.com/blogs/smoura/index.php/wpf/2009/04/15/introducing-the-wpf-toolkit-datagrid/

What build tools are available for .NET?
https://windowsclient.net/blogs/faqs/archive/2006/05/26/what-build-tools-are-available-for-net.aspx

CLR Profiler for the .NET Framework 2.0
https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=a362781c-3870-43be-8926-862b40aa0cd0&DisplayLang=en

Fx Cop
https://msdn.microsoft.com/library/bb429476.aspx

Performance Console (PerfConsole) 1.0
https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=5a04ee30-6259-4fad-bf05-ccb72be09b4a

.NET Productivity Suite 
https://www.ideablade.com/downloads.html?referrer=MSDNForms

ILMerge
https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?FamilyID=22914587-b4ad-4eae-87cf-b14ae6a939b0&displaylang=en

LibCheck
https://www.microsoft.com/downloads/details.aspx?familyid=4b5b7f29-1939-4e5b-a780-70e887964165&displaylang=en

CLR Profiler
https://download.microsoft.com/download/a/b/d/abd115c6-a96e-4d8d-b7de-9480deb6cd5c/clrprofiler.exe

Windows Communication Foundation Tools 
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms732015.aspx

Windows Presentation Foundation Tools 
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms742404.aspx

Windows Workflow Foundation Tools
https://msdn.microsoft.com/en-us/library/ms734408.aspx