Why Microsoft .NET Framework Client Profile is 256 MB?

Question

Microsoft .NET Framework Client Profile Offline Installer - 255.6 MB. Shouldn't it be 27MB or so?

Here list of biggest files within package (size in bytes).

1. dotnetfx35.exe (242 743 296)
2. DotNetFx20Client_Package_x86.exe (14 466 600)
3. DotNetFx30Client_Package_x86.exe (8 328 232)
4. DotNetFx35Client_Package_x86.exe (935 976)

So may be right question is why full flagged .NET 3.5 package here? I do not know.

Answer 1

It's the full 3.5 + the client profile because the client profile cannot be installed if there is a version of the framework already installed. The online installer only download what it's needed.

Answer 2

The offline installer is just that: An installer that has everything inside you may (or may not) need. It just doesn't need to load anything else from the internet. This makes it the reasonable choice for deployment in networks, but not so much for a single home PC.