SetupBuilder 7 Roadmap

[NewsArchive]

Lindersoft Releases Roadmap for SetupBuilder 7

May 21, 2007 - Lindersoft, a widely-recognized global provider of
installation software for Windows-based applications, today announced the
creation of SetupBuilder 7, a new software product that will enable
application developers to create installations in the high-performance
proprietary SetupScript (.EXE) and native Windows Installer (.MSI) formats
from the same SetupBuilder 7 Integrated Development Environment (IDE). It
will also support the creation of software installations for mobile devices.

The next milestone release (SetupBuilder 7.0 Beta) is expected to be
released in Q3 2007. SetupBuilder 7 will be free for customers with a
current SetupBuilder maintenance subscription.

"Lindersoft is committed to providing quick, easy installation solutions,
and SetupBuilder 7 is the next step in doing just that. We continue to
enhance SetupBuilder to provide our customers advanced power and
functionality needed to develop and manage MSI installations," says
Friedrich Linder, owner of Lindersoft. "Developers talked about their needs,
and we listened. SetupBuilder gains a competitive foothold in the script
based (.EXE) installer and MSI market with Macrovision InstallShield / Zero
G, and Altiris / Wise."

In addition to all functions found in SetupBuilder 6, the SetupBuilder 7
Developer Edition flagship will provide native MSI support. To overcome the
various fundamental limitations of MSI, we are working on state-of-the-art
groundbreaking technologies.

Key SetupBuilder 7 MSI Features

* Native MSI Support -- Generate perfectly valid native Microsoft Windows
Installer (.MSI) format software installers.

* SetupScript Bootstrapper -- Compile a full featured generic installer that
lets you package multiple .MSI files into a single-file or multiple-volume
native Windows .EXE. You can use all well-known SetupScript functions to
develop your installer logic before the .MSI run. For example, you can use
the serial number or maintenance subscription functions to protect your
installation, download files from the Internet, etc.

* SetupScript Custom Actions -- Call "SetupScript for MSI" functions as
custom actions from the .MSI.

* Configurable Merge Module (.MSM) Support. Easily add 3rd party merge
modules to your project.

* MSI API Calling -- Call various Windows Installer API from a SetupScript
function.

* MSI Web Update -- Web Update ensures that your clients are always working
with the latest version of your software.

Lindersoft's customer list continues to include leaders in aerospace,
commercial banking, defense, entertainment, federal government, financial
services, health care, high technology, insurance, pharmaceuticals, retail,
securities, and telecommunications.

Pricing and Availability
SetupBuilder 7.0 Beta is expected to be released in Q3 2007. Pricing for
the current SetupBuilder 6 installation software begins at US$179 for
Professional Edition. The best-of-breed Developer Edition starts at US$249.
A trial version is available. For more information, visit
http://www.lindersoft.com.

About Lindersoft
Lindersoft develops, markets and supports software installation products and
data compression solutions for programmers working in Windows. Every day,
millions of computers all over the world run software that was built or
installed using Lindersoft's products. The company's client roster includes
one-third of the Fortune Global 500. We have formed OEM relationships with
software development firms around the world. Lindersoft can be reached
through its web site, http://www.lindersoft.com/.

FORWARD LOOKING STATEMENT: This press release contains forward-looking
statements. There are certain important factors that could cause
Lindersoft's future development efforts to differ materially from those
anticipated by some of the statements made above. Among these are the
anticipation of the growth of certain market segments, the positioning of
Lindersoft's products in those segments, the competitive environment in the
software industry, dependence on other products, changes to operating
systems and product strategy by vendors of operating systems, and the
importance of new Lindersoft products.

SetupBuilder is a registered trademark of Linder Software. "Industry leaders
count on SetupBuilder" is a trademark of Lindersoft. "point. click. ship.
that's it" is a trademark of Lindersoft. Other brand and product names are
trademarks or registered trademarks of the respective holders.

###

[NewsArchive]

Hello,

With this said, are you planning on continuing support for Version 6.0/6.5?
Do you have some type of plans on the website about supporting these
versions because of the aggressive pace in which you do things? Will you
support both versions at the same time, at least for one year - or will it
always be just the current version?

We use the software and it works very well for us. What happens if Clarion
7 comes out after SB7, but we need full Clarion 7 support in SB6.5, and
there are fixes or changes .... but we don't want to go through the expense
of going to Version 7 of SB? Or VISTA issues?

We don't want to go through the pain we went through with SB4 to SB5 when we
had to rewrite things. Everything works so well - that I don't personally
feel I need to go through a lot of hoops or spend much time dealing with
software upgrades all the time.

We don't have a need for MSI support, but want to make sure we continue to
release solid installations.

Appreciate the Roadmap, but would be great if your website can detail
Lifecycles for your products (both on the enhancement and bug fixes level).
I'd pay a continued maintenance plan knowing that SB6.x is being kept up to
date - but with each version, there is work that needs to be done. Even
between 5 and 6, we had to change all our paths.

Thank you.

-Robert

[NewsArchive]

Hello Robert,

> With this said, are you planning on continuing support for Version
> 6.0/6.5?
> Do you have some type of plans on the website about supporting these
> versions because of the aggressive pace in which you do things? Will you
> support both versions at the same time, at least for one year - or will it
> always be just the current version?

Good point. We'll add our "End of Life" policy to the web site.

Please note that SetupBuilder 7.0 "Beta" is expected to be released in Q3
2007. We are on a 12-month major version release cycle now. We released
SetupBuilder 5.0 on 31-August-2005, SetupBuilder 6.0 on 18-December-2006,
and SetupBuilder 7.0 (Gold) is scheduled to be released in December 2007.

For 6 months following the "End of Sale" (EOS) date, Lindersoft will provide
bug fixes for critical bugs reported through Lindersoft's Technical Support
department. "End of Sale" is the last date to order the product version -
EOS for SetupBuilder 6.x will be the release date of SetupBuilder 7.0
(Gold).

> We use the software and it works very well for us. What happens if
> Clarion 7 comes out after SB7, but we need full Clarion 7 support in
> SB6.5, and there are fixes or changes .... but we don't want to go
> through the expense of going to Version 7 of SB? Or VISTA issues?

I really think there will not be an expense of going to Version 7 or 8 or
whatever of SetupBuilder (please see below).

> We don't want to go through the pain we went through with SB4 to SB5 when
> we had to rewrite things. Everything works so well - that I don't
> personally feel I need to go through a lot of hoops or spend much time
> dealing with software upgrades all the time.

SB4 was a complete technology shift. We introduced our own SetupScript
development language and it was impossible to convert a SB4 project to a SB5
script driven project.

All SetupBuilder versions built on SetupScript technology, that is
SetupBuilder 5.x, 6.x, 7.x, and 8.x (already on the drawing board), are
fully backward compatible. You can open your SetupBuilder 5.0 script in
SetupBuilder 6.5, press compile and ship. The same will be true for
SetupBuilder 7 and SetupBuilder 8.

> We don't have a need for MSI support, but want to make sure we continue to
> release solid installations.

Let me make clear that, in my opinion, there are far too many fundamental
limitations in the Microsoft Windows Installer technology (MSI). MSI will
be an option, nothing more. The core technology of SetupBuilder is, and
will stay, our script based SetupScript language to compile high-performance
native Windows executables.

MSI can only provide 30%-40% of the functionality that is available in our
own SetupScript technology. Our technology is faster, more flexible and
much more powerful than MSI can ever be.

Sometimes, you don't have an option. For example, if you have to deploy to
Citrix or if you need a "Certified for Windows Vista" logo. Then it's good
to know that SetupBuilder can help to do the job.

> Appreciate the Roadmap, but would be great if your website can detail
> Lifecycles for your products (both on the enhancement and bug fixes
> level).
> I'd pay a continued maintenance plan knowing that SB6.x is being kept up
> to date - but with each version, there is work that needs to be done.
> Even between 5 and 6, we had to change all our paths.

Hard-coded folder paths are not recommended. You can use (built-in)
compiler path variables so absolutely zero modification is required if your
projects depend on a specific SetupBuilder installation path. Path
variables are quite flexible and can be a tremendous tool when used
effectively. You can even develop machine independent scripts.

Does this help?

Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder 6
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

>
> Does this help?
>

Yes ... you are the best! :-) If you support the projects for 6-12
months, that would be expected.

I think it would be best if by default, the projects go to "SetupBuilder
Projects" rather than "SetupBuilder 6 Projects". The issue I think
between 5 and 6 was the "My" was changed too.

My SetupBuilder 5 Projects
SetupBuilder 6 Projects

I'm going to use it without the version number going forward to make it
easier.

-Robert

[NewsArchive]

Friederich,

So you finally made public that you are buying out MS in Q4 2007 ?

I knew you were aiming at that .... but not that fast <VBG>

Congratulations on this future release and it will certainely be part of the
excellent softwares already handed over to us !

Merci

BTW : MSI stands for Main SetupBuilder Installer ?

JP

--
Merci - Thank you

JP

[NewsArchive]

MSI= "Marginal Setupbuilder Installer" <G>

Jane Fleming

[NewsArchive]

Hi Robert,

You are right. "My SetupBuilder 5 Projects" and "SetupBuilder 6 Projects"
was a bad idea (no, it was a stupid idea).

SetupBuilder 7 will use "SetupBuilder Projects".

Thanks,
Friedrich

--
Friedrich Linder
Lindersoft
www.lindersoft.com
+1.954.252.3910

"point. click. ship" - that's SetupBuilder 6
Create Windows Vista ready installations in minutes

-- Official Comodo Code Signing and SSL Certificate Partner

[NewsArchive]

Cool! :-)

Thank you. Nothing was a stupid idea. You never know what the future
will bring in programming.

-Robert

[NewsArchive]

Jean-Pierre,

> So you finally made public that you are buying out MS in Q4 2007 ?
>
> I knew you were aiming at that .... but not that fast <VBG>
>
> Congratulations on this future release and it will certainely be part of
> the excellent softwares already handed over to us !

<g> Well... I think you know that, in the time it took to write "Well...",
M$ already earned more money than I can make in a year <bg>.

>
> BTW : MSI stands for Main SetupBuilder Installer ?
>

<G>

Friedrich

[NewsArchive]

> MSI= "Marginal Setupbuilder Installer" <G>

<BG>

Friedrich