New InstallShield 2010 Enables Authoring of High Quality Virtual Application Packages

Schaumburg -6/22/2009 - Acresso Software announced today the availability of InstallShield 2010, with support for web applications and virtual applications. The virtual application option natively creates packages in the Microsoft App-V format, the industry's most broadly used application virtualization technology. Continuing a strategic development partnership with Microsoft, InstallShield 2010 enables organizations to successfully deploy App-V by creating applications in that virtual format without the need for conversion. The first and only offering of its kind, InstallShield continues to deliver innovative technologies that improve the quality and reliability of software installations worldwide

InstallShield 2010 functionality was driven by a concerted outreach effort to the solution’s 71,000 enterprise and ISV users and Acresso’s strong, expanding relationship with Microsoft product groups. Based on direct feedback from thousands of polled developers, this version includes new features that save time and effort for both developers and application deployment managers. Highlights of the InstallShield 2010 release are as follows:

• Deploy Microsoft App-V virtual packages – InstallShield 2010 can simultaneously create an App-V virtual package and traditional MSI package within the familiar build process developers use today. The new App-V support is ideal for companies adopting application virtualization in their own environments.
• Support for the latest industry platforms – InstallShield now offers support for Windows 7, Windows Server 2008 R2 and MSI 5.0.
• Enhanced Internet Information Services (IIS) Tools for Web Applications – the new IIS scanner and improved view make it easy to create IIS web sites, applications and virtual directories.
• Improved creation of multilingual installers – InstallShield includes Unicode support for efficient multi-language installation development.
• New and improved integrated development environment (IDE) – flattened architecture and dynamic search tools save developers time in everyday tasks.
• Create custom brand experiences in runtime - Adobe Flash billboards allow software developers to extend their brand experience to their end-users during product installation.
• To learn more, read the complete list of feature descriptions by edition.

90 percent of beta customers reported that they would recommend InstallShield 2010 to their peers when the product is generally available.

• “InstallShield 2010 is awesome. I’m extremely excited about the new Microsoft App-V support, which will significantly cut our support costs due to a smoother rollout. I strongly recommend upgrading to InstallShield 2010,” says Tim Stevens, software installation developer, Viewpoint Construction Software.
• “I love the new InstallShield 2010. It has tons of new features that long-time customers have been asking for, like the new Text File Changes view, categorized Custom Actions and Adobe Flash billboards,” according to Samir Vaidya, product architect, Computer Sciences Corporation.
• “Kudos to Acresso for this killer advancement for developers everywhere,” writes Sean Donahue, senior program manager for Microsoft, Microsoft on ISVs blog.

“Developers want the option to deliver their applications in virtual as well as traditional formats, simplifying deployment and management,” said Maureen Polte, director of installation product management for Acresso. “With InstallShield 2010, we enhanced the standard build process to support both App-V and MSI package creation from a single InstallShield project. As a result, developers are not required to learn or implement another technology, and enterprises migrating to application virtualization can avoid a conversion step prior to deployment.”

All InstallShield 2010 editions are available for purchase today: Premier with Virtualization Pack, Premier, Professional with Virtualization Pack, Professional, and Express. InstallShield 2010 is offered in per-developer and per-concurrent developer license models. Evaluate InstallShield 2010.

Journalist Supporting Resources:

• Microsoft Touts InstallShield App-V Capabilities
• InstallShield 2010 Datasheet
• Complete Feature Descriptions
• Follow InstallShield on Twitter

About InstallShield
InstallShield, deployed by over 71,000 customers on more than 500 million systems worldwide, is the industry standard and global leader for installation authoring. Developers around the world rely upon InstallShield every day for even their most complex Windows desktop, server, web, mobile device applications and more. Through the InstallShield product line, Acresso Software is a Visual Studio Industry Partner member and a Microsoft Gold Certified Partner.