2 products for mutiplatforms by microvision

[mverma]

After buying InstallShield and Zero-G, microvision has 2 products InstallShield Multiplatform and InstallAnywhere which is for same purpose.

Does anybody know which one is better and what is the future direction of InstallShield Multiplatform and InstallAnywhere? Is company planning to merge one with the other one?

Is there any place which explains on when InstallAnywhere should be used or when InstallShield Mutiplatform should be used?

[sithlord]

To some extent, both tools do the same thing. InstallShield has a superior back end API while InstallAnywhere is geared towards glitzy GUI features. However, based on JDJ Awards @ http://jdj.sys-con.com/read/171303_3.htm, InstallAnywhere may be the one to keep. This may indicate which product Macrovision is going to keep/enhance.

5) Best Java Installation Tool

Winner: InstallAnywhere (Macrovision)

Runners-Up:
1) InstallShield (Macrovision)
2) Install4j (ej-technologies)
3) Advanced Installer for Java (Caphyon)

Later,
/.Will

[Eyal_Goren]

Hi,

They did not specify why is InstallAnyWhere a better tool, do you have a full article?

Thanks
Eyal

[sithlord]

The title of the article is "SYS-CON Announces Readers' Choice Awards for SOA, Java, Linux, .NET, MX, ColdFusion, and XML Technologies"

/.Will

[dliscomb]

Having worked with both tools, I can say that each has their respective strengths, and in my opinion, those strengths can be summarized as above: Power vs. Simplicity.

Power:
If your product installer has to provide more intricate operations and delicate hand-holding, then InstallShield MultiPlatform is more likely the right choice. The API for handling Swing, Console, and Silent modes is fully accesible. However, "with power comes responsibility"; the learning curve is steep, and it will likely take you a while to 'get all the moons aligned'. Custom code for IS MP is supported, and the documentation is far superior to that for IA (although that's not saying much).

Simplicity:
If your product installer doesn't require a lot of special handling and user input, then InstallAnywhere may do all that you want. You can create a working installer in IA in minutes. If you can stick with the stock dialogs and controls, and use only the basic features of InstallAnywhere, it may work for you. If you find it doesn't do what you want, you will probably want to look at InstallShield MP. Why? Because any custom code you create to 'enhance' your InstallAnywhere installer is unsupported. MV will give you no help with custom code, and the documentation is abysmal. (BTW, this policy is not new; ZeroG support never gave any help for custom code.) Too many times my internal clients have asked, "Why can't you just add this functionality to the dialog?", and I have to reply, "Because it would take me 4 weeks to figure out how to implement it."

I find the IDE for IA difficult to use. For example, it is impossible to search the install sequences to find references to variables. Also, I got used to having path variables on a per project basis, but IA only supports them on a per user basis. A little thing, to be sure, but still annoying.

With all due respect, I don't agree that IA is geared more toward 'glitzy GUI' features. The dialog real estate is quite limited in comparison to IS MP, and, again, the complexity of the dialogs that you can design is relatively low. For example, you cannot use the state of a checkbox or radiobutton to enable or disable other controls in the dialog.

[sithlord]

First, let's get the dictionary out on glitz.

glitz
n.
Ostentatious showiness; flashiness: "a garish barrage of show-biz glitz" (Peter G. Davis).
The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Fourth Edition

Nowhere in this definition there is mention of "functionality" over flashiness. I chose the word very carefully.

Second, your rather verbose response simply confirms my initial posting. ISMP is geared towards skilled professionals while InstallAnywhere is geared towards amateurs. This is why InstallAnywhere wins awards. Don't refute this statement... not the right agora.

/.Will