Any insterest in a Windows installer?

[Freightyard]

I am becoming inclined to throw together a "click-through" Windows installer (.MSI) to ease some of the frustrations with the "Program Files" permissions, and installing Prime95 as an application or service.

It should be fairly straightforward to build using WiX and Visual Studio, and would simply include the pre-built Prime95 executables in the .MSI.

Before devoting any effort, do I hear any support?

[alexhiggins732]

I simply download prime95 and execute it from where I extract the zip file. I am not sure what the "program files" folder is all about, but I personally prefer not having to run an installer.

[Freightyard]

Originally Posted by alexhiggins732

I personally prefer not having to run an installer.

Me too, and I suspect most here are similar. However, for GIMPS to proliferate well it makes sense to cater to those looking for an easy install, and to those unable or not willing to deal with the "Program Files" folder permissions issue.

I don't see a downside to an installer, unless having an "uninstall" option in the Control Panel is a downside. On the pro side, more people might use the Windows Service if it could be installed easily.

[ixfd64]

FYI, Prime95 used to come as an installer, but this was changed following the release of version 25.

[retina]

Installers are evil.

But I don't have any issue with an installer version being made available as long as the normal non-installer version is still there also. But if the installer is meant to replace all other formats then I would say "no way jose".

[joblack]

Originally Posted by retina

Installers are evil.

But I don't have any issue with an installer version being made available as long as the normal non-installer version is still there also. But if the installer is meant to replace all other formats then I would say "no way jose".

I think installers (with reasonable default values) will lower the threshold for non-computer-geeks to install it on their computers.

AMD made it right - they activate their gpu distributed software with the driver installation (you have to deselect it to not install it).

[Freightyard]

Originally Posted by retina

if the installer is meant to replace all other formats then I would say "no way jose".

Yes. You MUST use it and all other distributions will be deleted.

Originally Posted by joblack

I think installers (with reasonable default values) will lower the threshold for non-computer-geeks to install it on their computers.

"Reasonable defaults" being the ones that I choose? Actually, I wasn't thinking of doing anything beyond correctly installing the distributables into the Program Files directory such that end users wouldn't have to guess about permissions. Perhaps give a choice between installing the Windows Forms application or Windows Service.

The defaults are in the .ini files and it wouldn't seem right to alter what is chosen by the author.