News

Wise Solutions Wants to Relieve "DLL Hell"

• By Scott Bekker
• 09/28/1998

The software installation technology InstallManager is designed to enable administrators to spot most file and registry conflicts before they occur and streamline the entire process of installing Windows applications.

Expected for release next month, InstallManager is Wise's first product specifically designed for systems administrators. Wise has been developing software installation tools to distribute Windows applications to end users via floppy disks, CD-ROMS, networks and the Internet.

"DLL Hell" refers to the conflict that occurs when application installation programs place .dll files into the system subdirectories. New applications may have more recent versions of the .dll file and conflict with the old ones already in place, many times sending systems crashing and users screaming to help desks.

"Administrators want an easy, bullet-proof way to install applications over a network without file and registry conflicts," says Bill Thomas, CEO of Wise Solutions. "With InstallManager, they can identify and resolve most file conflict problems before installation. They can also create a complete installation script in six easy steps, without writing code."

InstallManager includes five programs:

• ConflictManager, a database application that screens files, icons, and registry keys across multiple Windows applications to spot potential file conflicts that may occur during installation.
• SetupCapture allows users to "repackage" any Windows application with a Wise installation, even if the application has a built-in installation program, and users can standardize their installation process across all applications.
• Wise Installation System 7.0 is Wise's marquee product that encompasses their installation technology.
• WebDeploy is a tool for quick and safe installations from an Internet Web site or an intranet to end user desktops.
• SmartPatch is a feature that creates "patch" installations containing only the differences between two or more versions of an application.