Windows Installation

[Peter Hansen]

Gerhard Häring wrote:
> 
> Peter Hansen wrote in comp.lang.python:
> > Jonathan Gardner wrote:
> >> I am at a major disadvantage because I don't have access to a windows
> >> machine, and so I can't test anything directly. However, I do have a few
> >> people who actively test for the project at home.
> >>
> >> Anyone have any suggestions on where I should go? Anyone can help me out
> >> here?
> >
> > Why not find and use one of the several free installer programs, rather
> > than trying to write something from scratch yourself?
> >
> > For example, try looking at google with "free windows installers" and
> > follow the first link you find.
> 
> NSIS rocks. But AFAIR his problem is that he doesn't have a Windows
> box to build the installer on.

D'oh!  You're right, my brain wouldn't absorb that concept.  Someone
writing a Windows installer in Python because he doesn't have a 
Windows box to run the real Windows installers on.  It boggles the 
mind: how does he plan to test?!

> The best solution to this problem is to give in and get a damn Windows
> box.  

It's about the only solution, although "get" could mean "find someone
else to help" in this case, as he suggested above.  Pointless to 
build it from scratch.

Well, I guess I take that back.  If someone set up a Sourceforge 
project (no!  not another! :) to build a Python-based Windows 
installer which would let someone distribute software easily and
reliably to Windows without ever touching a Windows machine, I
guess there'd be a small point.  Pretty risky though, without that
testing thing...

-Peter