Installing Applications

This article describes a standard set of guidelines for installing Win32®-based applications.

The purpose of the guidelines described in this article is to enable all application developers to support the same general method of application installation. The prime benefit is for users, many of whom have said they prefer a consistent installation method so that they do not need to learn a different method with each new software purchase. These guidelines also benefit the application developer by helping to standardize the organization and management of application files, thereby making initial installations, updates, and application removals easier. To ensure that your installation procedure follows these guidelines use the Microsoft® Windows® installer.