Competing software installers

15 Competing Standards

I have omitted some of the installation methods available for new applications on GitHub or GitLab, which are mostly the installers for less common programming languages. And I admit that I have rarely seen many of these methods as anything other than a distraction from my browsing of newer applications. However, the choice of installation methods is not made to help users. Much of the time, the choice is made for the convenience of the developers, who would understandably rather be working on the code than making provisions for users before the code's general release. However, the situation remains reminiscent of the xkcd cartoon, and those who browse the latest code development need to be aware of how the choice of installers can become an obstacle.

Infos

  1. "Standards," xkcd: https://xkcd.com/927/

The Author

Bruce Byfield is a computer journalist and a freelance writer and editor specializing in free and open source software. In addition to his writing projects, he also teaches live and e-learning courses. In his spare time, Bruce writes about Northwest coast art (http://brucebyfield.wordpress.com). He is also co-founder of Prentice Pieces, a blog about writing and fantasy at https://prenticepieces.com/.

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