Install from the web

[Willy Van den Driessche]

We have a large application suite with a lot of files in it (40+ VB
components,
15+ tirth party components + the system components, databases, resource
DLLs,
..)
We currently install our application from CD (using installshield). We'd
like to move to the web for upgrading. We'd like to have a tool that
inspects
the installed files and applies updates to those files for which there are
updates. So the tool needs to do two things : check the state and compare
it to some central "most recent" state. Then it should "install" the files
that need to be installed (newer or completely new files depending on
dependency
information). It would be nice if we could add some text to inform the user
WHAT has changed for him (per file or group of files) so that he can choose
to apply (or not apply) the changes. The idea is that only the components
that need to be downloaded are actually downloaded so the user only pays
(in time and bandwidth) for what he needs.
While I'm asking for features : it would be nicer if the same mechanism
could
be applied to a LAN. We put all available components on some shared drive
and the program will use the LAN to do the update (using pull or push
technology).
We prefer to use the same technlogy for both.

I could see how to write this myself but I am not so bold to say that it
will be easy. It will probably take several months (if not more). I prefer
to buy a tool that does this for us instead of reinventing the wheel.
Needless
to say, the tool should be robust. We have many customers for our app
(maybe
because it's for free ? :-)) and we can't afford a tool that causes more
trouble than it solves.

--
Willy Van den Driessche
Willy.Van.d...@skynet.be