WebStart SDK Roadmap

This roadmap reveals our progress in this endeavor as well as the future plans for the SDK.

Beta access (October 9, 1998) new features

• Support for file permissions and attributes.
• Disk space checking before installation.
• Localization support.
• Support for text files.
• Support for "invisible" components (components that cannot be deselected by the user).
• Platform dependent install directory
• Install builder simplifications.
• Product tree dependency model handles complex component dependencies.
• Wizard dialog messages can be specified at buildtime and runtime.
• Wizard images can be specified by the builder.
• Native support model including implementations for Windows and Solaris.

Reference Release (June, 1999) features

• Extensible native support model.
• Platform-specific panels.
• Support for shared components.
• Regsitry integration.
• Desktop integration.
• Command line statefile support.
• Wizard archive compression

Sun Supported Release (August, 1999)

• All P1, P2 & P3 bugs fixed.

InstallShield Builder Roadmap

InstallShield Software Corporation and Sun Microsystems, Inc. have formed an alliance to simplify application deployment on the Solaris operating environment. The joint effort will shorten application development cycles by providing an easy, cross-platform installation look and feel — making the simplicity familiar to current InstallShield users available on the Solaris operating environment.

InstallShield Java Edition provides developers with a visual tool designed to create a single Java installation that's consistent in look, feel and functionality across multiple platforms. New InstallShield Extensions for the Java platform bring the power of Java to installation building, allowing you to plug your own Java-based extensions into your installation. And the InstallShield Installation Applet lets you create a seamless cross-platform launch site for your installation.

Sun Microsystems InstallShield Software Corporation are co-developers of the Solaris Web Start Wizards. This set of Java classes will be included in the runtime version of the InstallShield Java Edition tool and as an API in the Solaris operating environment. Using InstallShield's tools in combination with the Solaris Web Start Wizard technology, developers will be able to build cross-platform installations and allow administrators to easily install Solaris applications both locally and remotely across the network.

Description of the features shown in the diagram above:

Q4 1998:

• Localization of Runtime Classes: Ability to display an InstallShield Java installation in selected international languages.
• Multiple Sources and Targets: The ability to package files from several different source directories and install them to different locations on a target machine.

Q2 1999 – Beta Release:

• Integration with Solaris Web Start Wizards: Initial integration of InstallShield Java Edition with the Solaris Web Start Wizards technology.
• Full Localization: The product will be fully localized with the product's runtime and builder classes being localized into selected international languages.
• Components and File Groups: Ability to create file groups and components containing files and directories. This enables the installation developer to logically group files and directories and optimize the installation process.

Q2 1999: