Why techies shouldn’t create installation programs

I helped a client today install PrimoPDF, a free PDF creation tool. As part of the installation I had to also install the .NET (pronounced “dot net”) Framework 2.0. I won’t go into the details about what the .NET Framework is–that’s not the point of this blog post. My point is what happened during the .NET Framework installation.

As I watched the installation screen, I began to wonder about the information provided to me on the screen. Installing assemblies? Configuring components? Creating image? Does that really mean anything to anyone installing the program?

And why does the installation program feel the need to flash at a hundred miles per hour the names of each and every file it is installing? How many noobies out there care that the .Net Framework has just installed C:WINDOWSMicrosoft.NETFrameworkv2.0.50727AspNetMMCExt.dll?

This is what happens when technical people design installation programs. They get excited about this kind of thing. “Ooh, look it’s installing the assemblies!” “Awesome, the components configured correctly.” “Yes, the AspNetMMCExt.dll was registered correctly.” “Everything is doing exactly what I programmed it to do… IT’S ALIVE!!!”

Seriously though, do we, the actual people having to install this software need this kind of detail? I highly doubt it. I think 99.9% of the people would be satisfied with a message stating “Installing all of the stuff necessary to make this thing work” message on the screen.

What do you think?