Why are you no longer selling InstallMaker for version 9? What does this mean for InstallMaker customers?

After careful consideration and feedback from our customers, we've decided that having three different product levels within the Wise Installation System family was not necessary. Having three product levels was confusing to many customers, and the effort involved in maintaining multiple products within a single family is significant.
Having said that, we also realize that some of our customers would still like an entry-level installation tool with the quality of a Wise product. For current InstallMaker customers, we're offering a very cost-effective upgrade to Wise Installation System 9 - Standard Edition. Standard Edition provides all the functionality of InstallMaker, plus lots of great additions. For details on pricing and ordering.


What makes Wise Installation System different from other products on the market?

Wise Installation System is the only script-based installation product on the market that is still actively maintained and updated. While other installation companies have focused solely on Windows Installer based tools, Wise realizes that a significant number of developers still prefer script-based technology. Regardless of which technology you prefer, Wise Solutions offers a choice of best-in-class products.
A few other things that set Wise Installation System apart are:
· An intuitive scripting language that is easy to learn and use
· Small, single file, self-installing EXEs with minimal overhead
· A more reliable installation solution
· A commitment to up-to-date runtimes
· The only script-based tool with application self-repair.


What is application self-repair? Don't other products offer this same functionality?

Application self-repair checks for the existence of specific files or registry keys every time your application is started on an end-users PC. If any files or keys are damaged or missing, the user will be prompted and the files or registry keys will be automatically replaced. This provides a more reliable application to your customers as well as reducing your support calls.
Self-repair functionality is currently only available with Windows Installer-based installs, a technology that many developers have not yet adopted. Wise Installation System is the only script-based tool with self-repair.


Are script-based installation products going away?

Not anytime soon. Since Microsoft introduced Windows Installer, many developers have been concerned that the script-based products they are comfortable using will no longer be available. At Wise, we want our customers to have a choice. We've worked hard to develop best-in-class products for both script-based installations and Windows Installer installations, and we plan on maintaining our script-based product as long as the technology is still applicable.

Why was the product renamed?
A couple of reasons. First, we've restructured the product into three different editions - Enterprise, Professional, and Standard - each designed for a specific type of user. This would have caused confusion trying to apply this new structure to the old naming scheme. Second, our customers told us that "packaging" is increasingly becoming a standard term for this technology, and when they think of packaging they think Wise - hence, the name Wise Package Studio.

How is Wise Package Studio different from other products on the market?

There are several things that make Package Studio unique. Among them:

1. At Wise, we believe that one size does not fit all when it comes to repackaging solutions. Wise Package Studio is available in three editions - Enterprise, Professional, and Standard - to meet the needs of every type of administrator.
2. Package Studio applies a process-oriented approach to repackaging, based on industry best practices and our own experience with repackaging projects ranging in scale from large to small. No one else can incorporate this experience into their product, because no one else has the experience of Wise.
3. Wise Package Studio - Enterprise Edition is the only product that promotes a collaborative approach to repackaging. The Workbench interface streamlines the workflow process, promoting hand-offs between group members, task documentation, project tracking, and user security.
4. We've made significant advances in installation capturing technology. Our SmartMonitor technology provides superior installation capturing ability. This can save countless hours when repackaging a complex application.
5. Package Studio provides a true conflict management system, not just simple package validation. Our ConflictManager detects and resolves software conflicts between applications before they are deployed throughout an organization.
6. Package Studio is the only product that provides both Windows Installer and script-based installation technology. We provide full support for installation creation and editing with either technology.

Why three editions?

We realize that one size does not fit all for system administrators looking for a repackaging solution. Some individual administrators are looking for a simple, cost-effective way to repackage applications for Windows 2000 or Windows XP. For them, Standard Edition is the perfect choice. Others work as part of application integration teams that deploy software at a department or division level within their company. For these users, Professional Edition will provide an ideal approach. Still other administrators work at the enterprise level, with teams that work closely together on coordinated, large-scale repackaging projects. Enterprise Edition provides a proven solution to meet the rigorous demands of these administrators.

Wise Solutions is the only company offering a repackaging tool for each of these three types of administrators.

What is repackaging? Why would I want to repackage?

Repackaging refers to changing or customizing a vendor-supplied installation, such as creating a silent installation or common installation for all users, or pre-selecting which features will be installed.

There are several reasons you might want to repackage installations. First, repackaging can improve the reliability of a software application running on your desktop environment. Second, installations can be streamlined by making them silent (no user interaction) or by limiting the options available to end-users. Third, repackaging can help to standardize installations, making support and troubleshooting easier. Finally, anyone migrating to Windows 2000 or Windows XP will want to repackage installations to take advantage of the benefits of Windows Installer technology. Since most ISVs currently don't distribute installations in Microsoft's Windows Installer (.MSI) format, you will have to repackage to take advantage of features such as application self-healing, install-on-demand, and installation rollback.

The bottom line is repackaging will result in more reliable desktops, reduced help desk support needs, improved end-user productivity, and lower total cost of desktop ownership.

What is conflict management? How does it work?

Conflict management refers to minimizing potential software conflicts (competing .DLL files, registry entries, etc.) that can occur and cause desktop crashes, end-user frustration, and downtime. However, there are many different approaches to implementing conflict management, so you need to be aware when shopping for a repackaging solution. Some repackaging products provide limited conflict detection and resolution which only works within a single software package. Package Studio will guide the administrator to resolve virtually any type of conflict across installation packages.
Package Studio provides three different levels of conflict management.
First, package validation tests an installation package to ensure there are no internal conflicts within the installation. This includes various checks for internal consistency, component design, file duplication, advertising support, uninstall support, and more. Wise package validation ensures compliance with Windows 2000 logo specifications. Package validation is available in all three editions of Package Studio.
Second, wizard-based conflict resolution automatically detects conflicts between an application and other applications to be installed on a desktop. The Wizard guides administrators through the resolution process by identifying each conflict and presenting alternatives for its resolution. Wizard-based resolution gives administrators the greatest degree of control by allowing them to resolve conflicts on a case-by-case basis.
Wizard-based conflict resolution is available in the Professional and Enterprise editions of Package Studio.
Finally, administrators can automatically eliminate conflicts between applications using resolution rules. Resolution rules encompass business standards regarding how conflicts are resolved, thereby providing consistency and reducing the level of knowledge required to produce a conflict free environment. Rules-based conflict resolution fully automates the conflict resolution process by detecting and resolving application conflicts with a single mouse click.
Rules-based conflict resolution is available in the Professional and Enterprise editions of Package Studio. In addition, the Enterprise edition allows administrator to tailor the pre-built rules in order to customize conflict management for their organization.

Does Package Studio help me distribute my application once it's been repackaged?

Wise Package Studio prepares installation packages for distribution, but does not actually perform the distribution function. Packages can be created for distribution via CD, local area network, Internet or intranet site, or through your company's software distribution system. Because Package Studio creates a single-file, self-contained executable, it can be distributed through any of the leading software distribution systems.

Package Studio provides additional levels of integration with Microsoft SMS®, and ON Command SiteManager® to provide even more seamless package hand-offs to these distribution systems.

What is a transform? Why is it useful?

A transform is a special kind of Windows Installer package (.MST) used in conjunction with a native .MSI package. The transform file is applied at runtime to change the way the base package runs. Transforms are generally used to customize an installation for a particular group of users.

The InstallTailor feature found in Wise Package Studio allows you to easily create transforms. InstallTailor simulates running an installation, capturing your specific changes, and saves those changes to a transform file.