I'm laughing just a bit as I write this title.  Laughing, because there are two parts of me.  The first spies "Three Easy Steps" in a title and just knows it's a click-through gimmick.  And yet the second just can't help seeing if those three easy steps really exist.

When it comes to automating software installation those three easy steps indeed exist, but they're more like three easy tactics that illuminate some of the dark art in the software packaging process.  Do you hate walking around with DVDs, watching your life slip away as you click Next, Next, Finish?  I do.  That's why I mastered that dark art, and can now automate pretty much any software installation.

Packaging software for automated installation might not necessarily be a dark art, but it isn't without its share of sleuthing.  You've got to find the right command-line switches that set the install to silent mode.  You also need to customize the installation, answering the questions on behalf of the user.  Do both, and you'll have a software package that can be remotely installed anywhere, anytime.

In this article, Packaging Software: Making Software Install Silently, I'll share with you the three tactics I've learned over the years.  With them, you'll be well-prepared to create your own nirvana of never having to leave your office again.  And that, I promise.

Think I'm wrong?  What's keeping you from automating software installation?  Comment below with your thoughts.