Included with this whitepaper is a component for enabling .NET client applications to automatically update themselves. The component was written using the .NET Framework and enables you to make your application auto-updatable simply by dropping the component into your existing .NET applications and setting a few properties (ex. where to get updates from).
This component is not a Microsoft product. It is intended as a sample to get you started and as such the source is also included with this whitepaper. However, it is worth mentioning that this component has gotten a fair amount of real world use already. It has been used internally in Microsoft to enable auto-updatability in the .NET Terrarium game (<http://www.gotdotnet.com/terrarium/>). Terrarium has been installed and used by over 10,000 individuals since it was first unveiled as a beta product in October, 2001.
This component will be the basis for the discussion of what it takes to make an application auto-updatable. This paper will focus on how the .NET Application Updater component works and how you can use it in your own application.
