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The importance of a good installer

Posted by Dave Mellors | Filed under Software Development

Years ago I used to get all the computer magazines and install all the applications on the cover disk but I no longer buy computer magazines and instead spend half my life installing applications found on the Internet and then the rest of my life is divided between trying to get the applications to work or uninstalling them!

Is this a good installer?

OK, maybe I am exaggerating a little but it is interesting to note how the installer effects my opinion not only of the software but also of the software company. The ease of using an installer will also significantly effect some but not all of my purchasing decisions. The effect of an installer varies depending on the size of the problem the software is required for. If for example it’s a matter of convenience then battling with an installer just isn’t worth it and if the market is saturated with alternatives to your product then your duff instaler will only encourage me to try one of your competitors products. On the other hand if I am evaluating “enterprise” solutions then I might fight with the installer for longer as the potential benefits of using the software will hopefully outweigh the time spent installing.

I can’t understand why someone goes to all the trouble of writing good software but makes it so hard to try it to see if it meets my needs. Some of the common problems I find with installers are:-

You are given three options Typical, Complete and Custom but they all do the same thing!
I can’t specify the path to install to (if everything wants to go on my C: drive then obviously it’s going to run out of space!)
100% should mean that the installer has finished not that I’ve still got half hour to wait for you to finish the rest of the installation.
0% surely means you haven’t started installing. Spending 10 minutes at 0% makes me think your doing nothing and you wouldn’t do that to me would you?
If you don’t know how long it’s going to take don’t tell me it’s going to take 3 hours and then finish in 5 minutes and conversely don’t tell me there is only 3 minutes left and half an hour later adjust it to 2.
If I can’t install two different versions of your application on my PC at the same time then tell me and ask if I would like to uninstall the previous version don’t just tell me “a previous verson already exists”
If I can’t have two different versions of your software on my PC don’t just let me do it – tell me first that it’s a bad idea and let me take the choice. I don’t want to spend spend two hours trying to work out with your support department why it’s not working only to be told I should not have done it!
Why should I read the README.TXT first or the manual to install the software. The installer should tell me everything I need to know!
If I need to uninstall your software then please give me two options.
1. Uninstall everything. Yes, this means all files and all registry entries not just the ones you think I don’t need anymore.
2. Uninstall but retain configuration settings.
Don’t ask me to type in the 128 character serial number and then tell me to remove the hyphens! If you know the hypens aren’t needed then tell me first or just remove them for me!