InstallAnywhere has both binary and byte-code installers.  In fact the
binary installers is just a self-estracting executable with byte-code.  So
in essence it works on any platform that has a JVM.  InstallAnywhere is
stable, very easy to use both as an end-user and as a build manager.  I'm
not going to get into a philosophical discussion about why to use OSS, but
in the case of installers, InstallAnywhere is the best for Java apps,
regardless of whether its proprietary or not.

~~K
Kevin Z Grey
Software Engineer

-----Original Message-----
From: Christopher K. St. John [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED]] 
Sent: Wednesday, April 24, 2002 12:07 PM
To: [EMAIL PROTECTED]
Subject: Re: Using InstallAnywhere for Tomcat installer

GOMEZ Henri wrote:
> 
> I don't refuse anything, just expose that I'd rather like
> an OSS Java installer.
> 

 I've recently been pointedly reminded that I'm "not even a
committer", but as the project guidelines encourage developers
to comment and cast a nonbinding vote, I'll put on my
flameproof suite and agree that I would prefer an OSS installer
if at all possible.

 Using propriatary code has drawbacks like:

 - Unless the license is more liberal than I suspect, nobody
   but "official" Apache projects will be able to use the
   installer. Sometimes non-Apache projects do use Apache code,
   that's sort of half the advantage of being Open Source.
   Diluting that advantage would be a shame.

 - Contributing time and $$$ to a project that's being used
   as an advertisement for a potential competitor (that isn't
   contributing source code) is troubling. In this case not
   enough to make me (or probably anyone else) leave, but its
   annoying. If they want to participate, why don't they 
   make plans to donate source code like everyone else?

 - If you aren't on the official list of supported platforms,
   you're hosed. With an OSS solution, a frustrated user of
   an obscure platform can make it work and then contribute
   the solution back to the community.

 - Although perhaps a verboten topic for discussion, there's
   the whole Open Source thing. Using a commercial installer
   if Open Source options are available is troubling from
   a philisophical standpoint. If you really buy into the
   advantage of Open Source, why dilute those advantages?

 If there's currently not an OSS solution available, then in
the interest of expedience, I withdraw any objections. Which
sounds sort of funny since it's nonbinding anyway, but what
the heck.

 (Any personal email on this topic to /dev/null, keep it
public please.)


-- 
Christopher St. John [EMAIL PROTECTED]
DistribuTopia http://www.distributopia.com

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