Re: Are "Easy Buttons" important in a Windows software installer?

[Tony Chung <tonyc -at- tonychung -dot- ca>]

As one of the more geekier users, I always choose the custom
installation option. However, I see benefit to offering an installer
that recommended different configurations, as long as it makes those
distictions in common terms.

So rather than an office suite offering:

Install Word processor only
Install Spreadsheet only

It could say:

Word processor only: For writing letters, documents, and your next
best selling novel or screenplay

Spreadsheets only: For recording checks and balances, calculating
profits , and displaying those results in graphs so you can win
investors

Custom: You know what you want, so let's get started!

Of course, you'll have to tailor the language to suit your industry.

-Tony



On 2012-04-10, at 8:20 AM, "Rédacteur en chef"
<editorialstandards -at- gmail -dot- com> wrote:

> All,
>
> For Windows software installers, notably when there are optional items (or
> perhaps multiple products) would you favor an installer that takes you
> directly to the Custom page (the one with tree view on the left, and
> 140-character descriptions in the right-hand pane for whatever was
> currently highlighted in the tree?
>
> OR, would you favor an installer that presented a bunch of pre-packaged
> install options with "radio buttons" to select some or all, and an option
> at the bottom to choose "Custom", only if the pre-packaged choices were not
> suitable?  The ready-made "Easy Buttons" would each install individual
> product configurations, complete with DLL, driver, utilities for the
> product represented by that button. Press one button, you have everything
> you need for that one product/config. Press more than one, and you have
> everything you need to run two or more products/configs, and maybe some
> optional peripheral items if you chose their Easy Buttons, too. Each button
> has a title and then a text summary beside it.... you've all seen this
> forever, on most of the software you've installed, I'm sure.
>
> The argument in favor of dumping customers (both highly technical and
> not-so-techie) directly into the Custom page, with no Easy Button page, is
> that it's easier to program and is streamlined, and they can see all the
> possible options and combos in the tree view anyway.
>
> If you think I described the situation clearly, why do you favor one
> approach over the other?
>
> </kevin>
>
> --
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