Way OT, Installation Tool Recommendation

Just gonna float this out...

I've been googling the newsgroups but I'd kind of like a real time opinion here as I can't find a clear consensus on which is better. My company would like to utilize the new MSI technology. The two big tools are InstallShield and Wise. Does anyone have any recommendations? Now I already have some InstallShield experience here but very little knowledge of MSI. In that light, I'm wondering which tool would help me get something up and working the quickest.

My company would like to utilize the new MSI technology.

Does your company have a strong business case for this, or is it just an instance of management wanting to be buzzword-compliant?

Microsoft have been trying to get installation APIs right for years. They still (IMHO) haven't actually succeeded.

I can't find a clear consensus on which is better

That would be because all installers and all installer-generators are hopeless, under- or mis-featured, quixotic, pigheaded and hateful pieces of software. If you have any hope or expectation of being able to produce an installer without pain, anguish, heartbreak, anger, fear, heavyweight profanities and considerable secondary ill-effects on your surrounding co-workers, you can forget that right now.

Writing an installer is usually considerably harder work than rewriting your program not to need "installing". Of course, if your program needs random third-party stuff to be installed (Win32s, Windows Media etc.) then that may not be possible.

Peter

I'm a long-time InstallShield user, and I have a lot of good things to say about it. But if I were starting out fresh today, from scratch, I'd probably be going with Wise. InstallShield has become top-heavy, which is (IMHO) counter to the whole idea of an installation program in the first place.

Also, Wise is cheaper and will usually do what you need it to do. I use it exclusively. Sorry...no experience with MSI.

I can't recommend, but you might want to check out InnoSetup, as it's completely free of charge.

Oh, and don't forget about the also free Nullsoft SuperPiMP Install System.

(It occurs to me that these might not comply to the Windows Installer standards referred to. I don't know much about that.)

Another program to look at: InstallerVise from Mindvision.

Bruno

Why do I get the feeling you have used both UnWise and InstallShield, Peter?

InstallAnywhere is somewhat better than either of the above, but it's still not without problems. I would recommend simple copy deploys where possible; however, where you need DLL registration and registry key insertions, it's not always possible.

The best solution is to install Linux or FreeBSD, really.

I'd just like to point out that in a forum where we discuss vacuums, Tivo, dishwashers, the Simpsons, games where you push people down a flight of stairs, and turkey fryers - it is impossible for a thread, especially this thread, to be considered "Way OT."