Why the setup?

[Old Shendemiar]

I Know you have a good reason, but i just want to ask, cos i dont know it. Why did you add a setup to MeScEd?

[Perun]

You mean installer? Well, my guess was that there are some people who don't know how to unpack files from archive, so I wanted to help them. And it looks more professional that way. And I'm a big show-off . And I wanted to learn Inno setup's scripting language. And... you get the idea.

[Old Shendemiar]

Perun said:

Well, my guess was that there are some people who don't know how to unpack files from archive, so I wanted to help them. And it looks more professional that way.

I know it's just a test for you to use the install, but i'm concerned still.

I doubt that people that handicapped that cant unrar, really needs the MeScEd to be installed... And it is possible to co.ck up with the setup also. I suggest a simple selfextracting exe. Or just some normal archive file.

And the preach agains Installers!

I was really impressed by the fact that it didn't need any install. Install takes time, install writes allkind of Merda! to every possible place (Registry) on one's computer, install takes time when you want to get rid of the program, and usually lefts lot of crap in the registry.


So i vote NO for install.

[Perun]

Whoa!

To prove you wrong (in my case, anyway), I'm posting the complete install script for MEScEd. As you can see, nothing is written to registry and no other folder is touched except the appdir (and Desktop and QuickLaunch, but that's optional).

I also hate to see installations to sh.it into every corner of my comp, so I tend to do the opposite with my installations. The biggest reason to make it is that the newest Inno setup uses 7-zip compression - better even than RAR with extreme compression!

Here's the code:

[Setup]
AppName=MEScEd
AppVerName=MEScEd v0.0.1.117
AppPublisher=Igor Bijelic
DefaultDirName={pf}\MEScEd
DefaultGroupName=MEScEd
LicenseFile=license.rtf

DontMergeDuplicateFiles=true
SolidCompression=true
Compression=none
AppCopyright=2003 Igor Bijelic
RestartIfNeededByRun=false
UserInfoPage=true
AppVersion=v0.0.1.117

[Tasks]
Name: desktopicon; Description: Create a &desktop icon; GroupDescription: Additional icons:
Name: quicklaunchicon; Description: Create a &Quick Launch icon; GroupDescription: Additional icons:; Flags: unchecked

[Files]
Source: E:\DiskF\Mesced2\finalized\MEScEd.exe; DestDir: {app}; Flags: ignoreversion
Source: E:\DiskF\Mesced2\finalized\firebird.msg; DestDir: {app}; Flags: ignoreversion
Source: E:\DiskF\Mesced2\finalized\firebird.conf; DestDir: {app}; Flags: ignoreversion
Source: E:\DiskF\Mesced2\finalized\gds32.dll; DestDir: {app}; Flags: ignoreversion
Source: ..\finalized\MEScEd.CHM; DestDir: {app}; Flags: ignoreversion

[Icons]
Name: {group}\MEScEd; Filename: {app}\MEScEd.exe
Name: {group}\Uninstall MEScEd; Filename: {uninstallexe}
Name: {group}\MEScEd Help; Filename: {app}\MEScEd.CHM
Name: {userdesktop}\MEScEd; Filename: {app}\MEScEd.exe; Tasks: desktopicon
Name: {userappdata}\Microsoft\Internet Explorer\Quick Launch\MEScEd; Filename: {app}\MEScEd.exe; Tasks: quicklaunchicon

[Run]
Filename: {app}\MEScEd.exe; Description: Launch MEScEd; Flags: nowait postinstall skipifsilent

[_ISTool]
Use7zip=true
[UninstallDelete]
Name: {app}\MEScEd.ini; Type: filesandordirs
Name: {app}\firebird.log; Type: filesandordirs


I would very much like to have both versions - installer and ZIP, but since I have very limited net space (5 megs), I made a choice and picked installer version.

As for stupidity and computer illiteracy, you'd be surprised. Unfortunately, there's too much of people like this out there . I know too many people who cannot upack a bloody archive file without help. They probably never will play LOM or MMU, or create scenarios with MEScEd, but you never know.

Anyway, I'd like to hear some other opinions before making a final decision. Anybody?

[Old Shendemiar]

Why dont you use some free webhosts to host your big files. There's huge list at the forum issues section of those in the pictures thread.

If you want to keep everything at your site, you could have normal archive in the net, and text to contact you for installer version, or vice versa.

[sparrowhawk]

I'd say you're probably best off including the installer, since as you say, some people don't know how to handle an archive file. As long as it doesn't touch the registry etc, then I see nothing wrong with it.

What exactly is an archive anyway?

[Matija]

Not to mention those who don't have zip installed.

[Ringthane]

I just received a ZIP from a client, it contained the file I had requested and the three folders under its parent folder

[celebaglar]

Ringthane said:

I just received a ZIP from a client, it contained the file I had requested and the three folders under its parent folder

Indeed. Whenever there's an ooportunity to assume stupidity or ignorance, do it.

I'd say go with the installer if there has to be a choice. As long as you don't apply the scattergun approach to installing files and registry entries, I don't see a problem.

[Old Shendemiar]

BTW:

I have XP pro and I HATE the hundreds of MyTHIS and MyTHAT folders popping out in every poissible place!