🚀 go-pugleaf

    See inline:

> ClickOnce is not an installation technology. It is a sand-boxed
> execution environment for rich clients built on the .NET platform.

    That's actually only part of what it does.  It also provides 
installation services.  See my responses further down to see more about what 
it can and can not do.

> You cannot freely install files, settings, shortcuts using ClickOnce

    You are right, you can not ^freely^ install files, but you can install 
shortcuts.  Also, settings are typically stored in .config files, which 
ClickOnce will install for you as well.  Check out the article on MSDN 
titled "Choosing Between ClickOnce and Windows Installer", located at (watch 
for line wrap):

http://msdn.microsoft.com/library/default.asp?url=/library/en-us/dndotnet/html/clickoncevsinstaller.asp

    Specifically, look at the chart in the section titled "Key Differences".

> - it will instead decide what to create, and where to put it.

    Yes and no.  You can actually modify the deployment manifest to change 
these settings.  The wizard in VS.NET isn't that extensive, but there is 
nothing that prevents you from changing the outputs once you have created 
the deployment.

> Moreover, ClickOnce requires .NET 2.0 to be already installed beforehand.

    True, but VS.NET 2005 offers a bootstrap generator which makes it pretty 
easy to do this.  From the Smart Client Developer Center:

Using "ClickOnce" requires that the target client already have the .NET 
Framework 2.0 installed. Visual Studio has made packaging and deploying the 
.NET Framework simpler than ever. Simply select what pre-requisites your 
application may have (ex. the .NET Framework 2.0 & MDAC 9.0) and Visual 
Studio will generate a bootstrapper file that will automatically install all 
of the specified pre- requisites when run.

    This can be located at (watch for line wrap):

http://msdn.microsoft.com/smartclient/understanding/windowsforms/2.0/features/clickonce.aspx

> You will need a real installer if you want to:
> 1) Install .NET 2.0 itself

    See my above comment.

> 2) Install any type of application other than that which ClickOnce can
> handle
> 3) Show any kind of installation interface, or have any custom install
> logic

    I agree with you here.

> ClickOnce is great, but its just good for simple WinForms applications
> that don't have any dependencies whatsoever.

    That's debatable.  It depends on what the dependencies are.  If they are 
other .NET assemblies, then no, it's not.

> Of course, you could use the Visual Studio bootstrapper to install your
> pre-requisites (such as the framework), but there you're again better
> off with InstallAware because:
> 1) The .NET Framework is compressed up to 1/3rd of its original size

    This is just me, but I'm a little weary of anything that does something 
to my compiled assemblies which isn't a part of my build process already. 
This is a completely subjective point, and I realize there are people that 
will want to do this.

> 2) You can deliver setup.exe's which download only the missing runtimes
> 3) And, your main setup.exe's can still include your main application
> and be fully functional
>
> InstallAware is based on Windows Installer technology - so you know
> your setups are compliant with the latest corporate deployment
> standards developed by Microsoft. Windows Installer is the primary
> installation technology used and developed by Microsoft, with ClickOnce
> having a more limited range of use (don't get me wrong, its great too).

    Don't get me wrong either, I'm not trying to slam the product, but I 
feel that your initial assertions in your "ad" post were incorrect.  These 
are things that I feel readers of the group should be aware of before 
spending money on anything.

-- 
          - Nicholas Paldino [.NET/C# MVP]
          - mvp@spam.guard.caspershouse.com