Why does IA provide specific build targets(Linux, Solaris, AIX, HPUX) when Generic Unix launcher option is available.Can't Generic Unix launcher serve the purpose on all Unix platforms.
The one difference I observe that with native(Linux, Solaris, AIX, HPUX) launcher we can bundle JVM whereas we cannot do it with Generic Unix launcher.
I never used the Generic Launcher but I suspect this to be a jar file. In order to launch your application then one has to invoke java with the jar file and the main class as parameter right? Well, the great advantage of having native LaunchAnywheres is that it provides a handy shortcut for that, seeing the classpath for you, the additional parameters, and invoking the command line (which often can be huge). Isn't simpler on Windows to have a shortcut to an .exe that launches your application? Or even better, having registered your application extension (assuming that you have a proprietary data format) that when you click on the file it automatically opens it using your software?
I use the Generic Launcher to create install for SGI Irix systems. I am not sure about IA but in ISMP it created a .sh file for execution. I am hoping that it creates the same type of file in IA.
I believe the difference is that the native installers are executables where the generic unix is a script file.
I think this is a preference. If you are only building fro solaris and windows then why use a generic unix installer? What if you are installing on a unix/linux platform that doesn't have a binary launcher. It us up to you what you want
