InstallAware

Hello,

is it posible to remove the text that is appended to the title in the window title? It currently says "<product> - InstallAware Wizard" i only want it to say "<product>" and maybe something extra like " - installation".. is it posible to define this ? and how ?

I have the studio version of IA6.

Thanks in advance.
-Simon

Officially, no - this is the only part of branding that we enforce.

We can discuss "brand free" builds of IA with you, however, you would be best to contact our sales team.

Um... but at http://www.installaware.com/fully-customizable.htm it is stated that "nothing is hard-coded" and that "InstallAware puts you in full control of...Design of your entire user interface".

I see that others have complained about this before. I am not trying to start an argument -- because you have a great product (thank you!) and I am very happy that I switched from Wise -- but just letting you know that it would look better from your customers' point of view (that's us) if either you were clearer on the "InstallAware Wizard" branding or just removed this restriction, which of course would be best

Alexander

...Removed by author...

We can discuss "brand free" builds of IA with you, however, you would be best to contact our sales team.

We had this ability in Wise and asked why we couldn't do this in IA. When we purchased InstallAware a year ago we got them to add a special "brand free" build for us but it was a ONE time only deal on that specific version. After that all new versions or builds like 6.5 for example we lost that. So it was basically a waste of time.

I have long been asking for a hidden way to allow us to remove this but so far nothing.

stevep wrote:

We can discuss "brand free" builds of IA with you, however, you would be best to contact our sales team.

We had this ability in Wise and asked why we couldn't do this in IA. When we purchased InstallAware a year ago we got them to add a special "brand free" build for us but it was a ONE time only deal on that specific version. After that all new versions or builds like 6.5 for example we lost that. So it was basically a waste of time.

I have long been asking for a hidden way to allow us to remove this but so far nothing.

we were told that we needed to buy into the partner program at $5k bi-annually (which also includes subscription for InstallAware Studio Admin, Setup Squeezer, and WiXAware for two years)... so much for "nothing is hardcoded"... :/

-Simon

So, the "problem" is that you DON'T buy a BRAND FREE version of InstallAWARE and that MINIMUM branding is neither annoying nor "hardcoded" in the way you mean it.

If you want a brand free version, it certainly costs higher, which is absolutely reasonable.

Gizm0 wrote:So, the "problem" is that you DON'T buy a BRAND FREE version of InstallAWARE and that MINIMUM branding is neither annoying nor "hardcoded" in the way you mean it.

If you want a brand free version, it certainly costs higher, which is absolutely reasonable.

Hi,

It might very well be reasonable, but it is not what you are advertising!
Anyways, we are happy about the product as is, and i wont be discussing this further. But the fact remains, the product is not as advertised.

Have a nice day,
-Simon

simondk wrote:

Gizm0 wrote:So, the "problem" is that you DON'T buy a BRAND FREE version of InstallAWARE and that MINIMUM branding is neither annoying nor "hardcoded" in the way you mean it.

If you want a brand free version, it certainly costs higher, which is absolutely reasonable.

Hi,

It might very well be reasonable, but it is not what you are advertising!
Anyways, we are happy about the product as is, and i wont be discussing this further. But the fact remains, the product is not as advertised.

Have a nice day,
-Simon

Well i'm not an official representative of InstallAWARE, i'm just a certified consultant on InstallAWARE technologies. Nevertheless, i strongly believe that product it is as advertised, as nothing is hard coded. Having a non brand free version, doesn't make branding "hard coded". The option is there, if you pay for it. You CAN remove the brand, but you have to pay. Where exactly the "hard coded" part is?

Anyway, i'm not willing to cause any flames or something, but you're wrong and this is why i'm continuing the conversation.

The reason I'm looking at using InstallAware is because I want to present a professional and self sufficient image as a developer to my clients. The absolute LAST thing I want to do is make it look like I'm using third-party code to get my work out. If I'm selling software to banks or medical facilities, I certainly don't want raised eyebrows and the inevitable "Well how do we know we can trust your installer program" from auditors.

For cryin' out loud, it cant be that hard to NOT tell the compiler to add a caption, it's just plain greed. It was bad enough that the "CodeGear Special Edition" wont let you change any of the dialogs.

I like your product, and I'm very interested in the studio version, but I don't want to have to pay hundreds of dollars for the privilege of advertising for InstallAware.

want to present a professional and self sufficient image as a developer to my clients....If I'm selling software to banks or medical facilities, I certainly don't want raised eyebrows and the inevitable "Well how do we know we can trust your installer program" from auditors.

That was the first valid comment I heard about branding that I really agree with. Branding should be eliminated in the Admin version. That is fair. The current cost is prohibitive and extreme to most. That's why they set it so high, is because hardly anyone will do it and obviously they believe that keeping the branding in, sells a couple of copies from each branded one out there. By IA's figures, this is their dollar thoughts...You spend 1000.00, they make another 4000.00 from someone seeing your installer.

The "Trust" factor. That is one of the reason I moved to IA, because Wise left us hanging and when I was basically forced to do the switch, my distributor was not real thrilled about it. The bright side, is there were some fairly major issues with IA (which thankfully, now have been corrected) and at least I had someone else to blame it on.

I understand IA's logic, that by forcing the branding more people see it, and more potential customers. If it were a freeware, or low cost program, that would make sense. But for a thousand dollars I shouldnt have to pimp IA. Would you use a doctor who forced you to have his name tattooed on your forhead after giving you a perfect facelift ?

It's a complete shame too. From what I see, the program is top notch, it does everything I would ever need, and gave me some ideas as well. Their customer support folks have responded within minutes whenever I have contacted them. The program even works like Delphi (my native programming language)

But when I get ...
"You can remove this by becoming a technology partner. Unfortunately that program is rather costly at $4,995"
as a response, its kind of a deal breaker.

at least I had someone else to blame it on

I'm glad to hear that worked for you. Unfortunately for me its not an option. If auditors or IT department heads dont think I'm in complete control of my program and it's installation, it just doesnt get installed. If they know IA and trust it, then I'm fine, but if they dont then its up to me to resolve it, not for them to learn about IA.

Personally, I think the sales they would loose would be negate the potential customers they might gain, all the while alienating the customers they do have.

I unfortunately have to look for other alternatives. In the end I might just HAVE to use IA (it is a nice package after all), but without this resolved I would never be a happy, or loyal, customer.

I'm glad to hear that worked for you. Unfortunately for me its not an option. If auditors or IT department heads dont think I'm in complete control of my program and it's installation, it just doesnt get installed. If they know IA and trust it, then I'm fine, but if they dont then its up to me to resolve it, not for them to learn about IA.

That is one part of you comment I see very valid and also a valid concern. I am fortunate to the fact, I have one main distributor which I have dealt with for over 10 years, and they just trust my judgement.

In your situation, I understand where you are coming from completely and frankly you are just right.

I understand IA's logic on the branding policy, but strongly disagree with it, and think it on the fairness side it is a bit lop sided, but since they really don't have anyone that can compete with the feature set or the MSI code editing, what can you do? Kind of locked in their clutches on this one.

Any chance this situation is going to change in ver. 8 ???

i often read these types of comments and wonder to myself. Don't people know that the exe created by installAware is in the SFX (self extracting) zip format. This format does not belong to installAware and I remember it even existed back in 1993. If you don't like the branding in the SFX file then repackage the file yourself!

now this is not the name you see in the system close box that exists when the actual software is installing. this is the branding that IA uses to track piracy (their words). Which is also funny to me because this is absolutely for advertising their product in your software ... since any pirate can easily remove this name in 3 seconds with a binary hex editor.

i think people should stop asking installAware to do something they obviously don't want to do ... because SFX is not their format to begin with... and they can't easily automate this for you ...