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Geek Culture / Free Installer software - for 24 hours only.

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Ric
20
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Joined: 11th Jul 2004
Location: object position x
Posted: 29th Aug 2008 12:56
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No I'm not spamming before anyone asks! I just got notice of this offer for Smart Install Maker (http://www.sminstall.com/) which is usually $79.99. For the next 24 hours it is free to download from http://www.giveawayoftheday.com/smart-install-maker-502/ - that's the full, legal, unrestricted version.

I haven't tried it myself, but it looks like it might be useful for people needing to package up a big project into a single installer. The big advantage of it that I can see is that it requires no scripting, unlike other free installers like inno installer.

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BatVink
Moderator
21
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Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 29th Aug 2008 15:04
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looks good, any opinions on the reputation of this site? I haven't heard of it before.

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Ric
20
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Joined: 11th Jul 2004
Location: object position x
Posted: 29th Aug 2008 17:40 Edited at: 29th Aug 2008 17:42
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Ah yes - the 'giveaway of the day' site is completely legit. They pay small time developers a fee for providing the software free on their site for one day. The developer benefits from the publicity, as well as the fee. It works in much the same way as cover discs on magazines.

To download the software, you have to sign up. I've been signed up for about 4 months, and I receive an email every morning notifiying me of the free software for that day. Most of the time it's not that useful for me - a lot of video format conversion software and the like. They're never going to give away anything like Photoshop or 3dStudio .... but occasionally I see something that might be quite handy - like this installer.

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jasuk70
21
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Joined: 3rd Dec 2002
Location: Hemel Hempstead
Posted: 29th Aug 2008 18:00
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I've been using this free open source one which is quite good.

http://nsis.sourceforge.net/

Developed to install WinAmp originally (from what I remember) and it's been used recently for the installer for Mass Effect and Neverwinter Nights.

More recently though I've been using the unzip and run method as it's easier

Jas

----
"What is this talk of 'release'? Klingons do not'release' software. It escapes leaving a bloody trail of developers and quality assurance people in its wake!"
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JoelJ
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Joined: 8th Sep 2003
Location: UTAH
Posted: 29th Aug 2008 19:25
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Quote: " that's the full, legal, unrestricted version."

not quite:
Quote: "3) Strictly non-commercial usage"


that's in the readme. So it's unrestricted as long as you don't want to see what you use it with.


IntelCore2Duo@2.60GHz-4GB RAM-NVIDIA Quadro FX 570M-Windows Vista Business 32bit
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SunnyKatt
18
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Joined: 16th Sep 2006
Location: USA
Posted: 29th Aug 2008 19:28
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I use the clickteam install creator. I didn't pay, so it has one nagging screen at the end. It works nice though.

Favorite Quote: Dramatized code? Code Drama!

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Uncle Sam
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Joined: 23rd Jul 2005
Location: West Coast, USA
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 01:21
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What's the good of an installer without being able to give it to people? I installed it, found out that it isn't unrestricted, and uninstalled it.

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Zappo
Valued Member
20
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Joined: 27th Oct 2004
Location: In the post
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 03:50
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Quote: "What's the good of an installer without being able to give it to people?"

You could always use this version to try it out and buy the unrestricted version if you like it.

Personally, I have been using the (free) Nullsoft Install System for a few years now and am very happy with it. Its very powerful but it is complicated to configure as you have to write your configuration scripts in a text editor and then compile them. Not exactly friendly but if you want the power its worth learning.


Chart data provided with kind permission from ELSPA
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BatVink
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21
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Joined: 4th Apr 2003
Location: Gods own County, UK
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 12:07
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Quote: "it is complicated to configure as you have to write your configuration scripts in a text editor and then compile them"


There are some NSIS Wizards - free and shareware. I haven't used it for a while, but I used to make a package with the Wizard, and then use it as a template for other similar projects.

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SpyDaniel
18
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Joined: 4th Feb 2006
Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 14:08
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http://www.innosetup.com/isinfo.php

That's the one I use and its completely free.

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Omega gamer 89
17
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Joined: 10th Sep 2007
Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 19:51
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Forgive me for being a noob, but would installer software(s) such as these prevent people from accessing your media? (models, musics, etc...)
Quote: "it looks like it might be useful for people needing to package up a big project into a single installer."

Does that mean that all the media is packaged into one file, and therefore no one can just go "Hey, look! A folder with all the game's models! I think I'll take them!"

If the good lord had intended us to go outside or have a social life, he wouldn't have invented the internet.
www.threeswordsproductions.com
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SpyDaniel
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Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 20:04
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Quote: "Forgive me for being a noob, but would installer software(s) such as these prevent people from accessing your media? (models, musics, etc...)
Quote: "it looks like it might be useful for people needing to package up a big project into a single installer."
Does that mean that all the media is packaged into one file, and therefore no one can just go "Hey, look! A folder with all the game's models! I think I'll take them!""


No.

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Omega gamer 89
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 20:09
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Ah, okay. So it just puts them all in one file for the install, then recreates all the directories with your media in the install location? If I'm still wrong, please just tell me what these installer softwares actually do.

If the good lord had intended us to go outside or have a social life, he wouldn't have invented the internet.
www.threeswordsproductions.com
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SpyDaniel
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Location: United Kingdom
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 20:10
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Its just like a zip file. The only difference is that you get a menu and the choice of where you want to install the files to.

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Omega gamer 89
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Location: Pittsburgh, PA
Posted: 30th Aug 2008 20:13
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Ah, okay thanks.

If the good lord had intended us to go outside or have a social life, he wouldn't have invented the internet.
www.threeswordsproductions.com
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Sleepy head
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Joined: 1st Sep 2008
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Posted: 2nd Sep 2008 07:06
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NSIS (http://nsis.sourceforge.net) - what can you wish else? Unfortunately, it is very complex as well as powerful, so there is easy-to-use Excelsior Installer (http://installer.excelsior-usa.com), also for free.

Can anybody recommend good graphical interface (wizard) to create NSIS scripts painless?
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