ITNinja

Unfortunately we tend to get 'dumped with the software' after someone else has decided the software is fit for their purpose and it has been evaluated sufficiently in the target environment.

All you can really do is badger the vendor for an MSI installer, I'm sure that some vendors do listen to their customers.

Some vendors may also have the facility to provide an MSI if requested, but if you don't ask, you don't get.

Hope that helps,

Dunnpy

imho a good scripted MSI is the best you can get. if the vendor doesn't provide a MSI setup - well, an exe with parameters is still better than nothing.

so MY order of preferences is:
1) msi (if available)
2) exe with parameters
3) spied installation
4) exe run as admin, user has to install software by himself (absolutely NOT recommended)

best regards,
gYmpi

I would put a 'spied installation', if what you mean by that is a snapshotted MSI, above an exe with parameters, if those parameters don't offer the possibility to change everything your client wishes to have customised.
That's just my opinion ofc.

PJ

My experiences have been that we are "dumped" mostly with specialty software.

We generally have had more input (even to the point of selection of candidates) on more general purpose software, like pdf converters, media applications, etc.

As states a "proper" MSI is preferred in all cases, followed by exe with some sort of config file (ini etc) for customization.

The reason MSI is preferred is due to the robustness of installation checks, custom config and virtually ALL deployment tools has decent reporting on msi. EXE tend to not have very good reporting or error control in most deployment systems (without custom script wrappers etc).

None of the companies I've worked for have ever used whether the app was MSI or EXE as a determining factor; the business needs always come first and then it's up to us to make it work with the environment. That said, if we do have an option, it's always going to be MSI, if for no other reason than standardization.

I definitely prefer a MSI installer over a setup.exe. In the past, I was dumped on with the chosen software. After many struggles, I finally barked. All software purchases now get reviewed for Network Deployment capabilities prior to purchase.

I've been broken at this point and almost don't care, just please for the love of god let me automate it somehow. I'm in the same boat of most of the people here; I get software dumped into my lap that needs installing. I do prefer a good MSI, or at least on package in an exe i can extract, but for simple little things like flash, reader, firefox, the exes are fine.

I'm with Tentacle Master on this one. I've pretty much given up on having a preference on either one. In my experience developers who have created *.exe with automation built in have worked great. I've had more MSI errors than anything else. Its a total bummer.

I prefer MSI based. If I have an EXE I will just repackage it as an MSI with advanced installer.

I prefer msi installers if available.

I always prefer MSI installs

Thanks for your views.

I like MSI installs better as well they have been easier to work with and do what I want them to do in my experience

Prefer the MSI but I believe that both should be provided.