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Administrators Get Straight Talk on Pitfalls of Software Packaging and Windows Installer

SCHAUMBURG, Ill., June 17, 2002 – InstallShield® Software Corporation, the acknowledged leader in software distribution and deployment solutions, today announced a new online seminar entitled “Top Ten Windows Installer Myths.” The seminar is geared toward educating systems administrators about the myths associated with software packaging and leveraging Microsoft’s Windows Installer service. InstallShield Windows Installer experts will provide an interactive, in-depth discussion on the common Windows Installer pitfalls and debunk some of the biggest misconceptions surrounding this critical technology.

The free online seminar, hosted by leading IT media company TechTarget, will be held on June 19, 2002, at 2:00 p.m. EDT on TechTargetÂ’s popular www.searchwin2000.com and www.searchsystemsmanagement.com Web sites. Attendees can register for the event at http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/onlineEvents/0,289675,sid1,00.html .

“Packaging applications for Windows Installer remains a daunting task and administrators need a road map to navigate the new information and packaging introduced by Microsoft,” said Viresh Bhatia, CEO and co-founder of InstallShield. “Professionals are looking for fast, straightforward information that will help them quickly understand what’s real, what’s not, and how to avoid the pitfalls. This seminar packages key Windows Installer information in ways that administrators can use immediately.”

The Windows Installer service includes a new and complex set of capabilities systems administrators must master to fully leverage the many Total Cost of Ownership (TCO)-reducing features such as application auto-repair and install-on-demand. This event will provide IT professionals and systems administrators with detailed information on the issues surrounding application packaging using Windows Installer. Participants will come away with critical knowledge needed to create reliable MSI packages, a better understanding of the “ins and outs” of repackaging software, and insight on how to implement key Windows Installer features such as Auto-Repair, Advertising, and Install-on-Demand.

Key myths to be addressed include:

1. MYTH: Expert knowledge isnÂ’t required to convert setup packages to full-featured and reliable MSIs.

2. MYTH: Knowing how to build an MSI file is all you need to learn about the Windows Installer service.

3. MYTH: All repackaging software is created equal.

4. MYTH: Repackaging for Windows Installer is straightforward.

5. MYTH: All Windows Installer-based applications support auto-repair.

6. MYTH: All Windows Installer-based applications support advertising (install-on-demand).

7. MYTH: All applications packaged as MSIs will run properly in a secured user environment.

8. MYTH: The Windows Installer service will manage all potential file conflicts.

9. MYTH: You can repackage MSIs for customized deployment.

10. MYTH: All MSIs are created equal.

Complete Software Repackaging and Migration Solutions

InstallShield has trained more than 2,500 users in the art of application repackaging and spent more than 20,000 hours repackaging Windows installations into the Windows Installer format (MSI). InstallShield offers comprehensive products and services to assist corporations in every stage of their migration process. InstallShield AdminStudio offers a total solution for repackaging, customizing, and resolving application conflicts. InstallShield’s unique Application Migration Platform™ combines a proven migration methodology and industry best practices to provide knowledge transfer, mentoring, or full outsourcing of the migration process. Information on InstallShield’s Systems Administration and Consulting solutions can be found at www.installshield.com.

Seminar Registration

Registration for the “Windows Installer Myths” online seminar is free and can be completed at http://searchwin2000.techtarget.com/onlineEvents/0,289675,sid1,00.html.

About TechTarget

IT media company TechTarget offers the most targeted media for enterprise IT professionals, including six invitation-only conferences, more than 100 e-mail newsletter titles, Storage magazine, and the only network of industry-specific IT Web sites. TechTargetÂ’s more than 700 advertisers include IBM, Microsoft, Oracle, Sun Microsystems, Intel Corp., EMC Corp., and Hewlett-Packard. More information about TechTarget is available at www.techtarget.com.

About InstallShield Software Corp.

With worldwide headquarters outside of Chicago in Schaumburg, Ill., InstallShield Software Corp. is the acknowledged leader in software-distribution and software-deployment solutions for independent software vendors and corporate IT systems administrators. InstallShield technology powers deployment for the top 100 independent software vendors and is used by more than 200,000 corporate and commercial software developers and systems administrators worldwide. InstallShield also has European headquarters based in Bristol, England. For more information, visit www.installshield.com.

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© 2002 InstallShield Software Corporation. All rights reserved. InstallShield is a registered trademark and AdminStudio and the Application Migration Platform are trademarks of InstallShield Software Corporation in the United States and/or other countries. All other brands and product names are trademarks or registered trademarks of their respective companies.