[Python-Dev] Python merge module

[Hoyt, David]

>> Is there or will there be support for python merge modules so we can
>> include python in our installer?
>
>I haven't planned any. Contributions are welcome.
>
>> But has there been thought towards migrating away from msilib and using
>> platform standard tools such as wix (used by ms office, visual studio,
>> etc.)?
>
>Are you sure visual studio uses wix? 

The visual studio regularly contributes to the wix toolset. They and the .net framework team contributed a lot of the wix bootstrapper (burn) foundational code.

> I wouldn't call it a "platform standard tool". 

It's becoming that as more and more projects are adopting it. It was considered to be shipped w/ VS 2010 but didn't make it due to management/time issues.

> The Installer COM object is the platform standard mechanism, and that's what msilib uses. 

Why maintain a lib when there's (better), free alternatives out there that are maintained by Microsoft itself? (okay, a group at Microsoft that works on their free time, but has significant contributions by many teams at Microsoft -- thus they have a vested interested in its success).

> I really see no need to move away from that - it can create arbitrary MSI files.

Can it create merge modules? Transform files (e.g. localization)? Bootstrappers? There's a lot more to ms installers than the msi itself. Wouldn't it be easier to maintain an XML file than an entire lib dedicated to something that someone else has already solved?