[Qgis-developer] Windows Installation broken - and cannot uninstall

[Alister Hood]

Hi guys,
Two things:


> No un-installation is required when working with OSGeo4w normally.
> However if you wish to uninstall simply delete the C:\OSGeo4w folder.
> OSGeo4w has very few registry entries (1-4 I think)

1. But if you only want to uninstall certain things, just run through the OSGeo4W "setup" program again, and unselect them.  "Setup" is used for everything, like a Linux package manager - adding/removing/upgrading/downgrading packages.


> Use the standalone installer, is less risky to have something get wrong.

2. Is it really so necessary to dissuade people from using the OSGeo4W "Setup"?
- It is much quicker and easier.  E.g. when a new version of QGIS is released you only need to click through setup again to update.  You don't need to go to the QGIS website, download a new installer (which will waste time and bandwidth because it is bigger - especially since it includes GRASS, which many people would never use), run the installer, and separately run the uninstaller for the old version.  
- The OSGeo4W setup also provides easy access to other software you might want to use with QGIS (and nightlies in case you need them :) )
- I'm not convinced the OSGeo4W installer is very risky.  Are people having problems with it without doing an "advanced install" and choosing weird things?  IMO the only good reason for recommending the standalone installer is that OSGeo4W doesn't provide ECW libs (but the standalone installer isn't actually respecting the license on these, anyway...)

> This is important for the QGIS project because the lack of good
> installation/uninstallation procedures fuel the perception that Open Source
> projects aren't serious contenders to the traditional commercial products.

I believe the OSGeo4W installer is a much better system than a standard Windows installer.  But maybe its labelling and public profile could be improved.  Some possibilities:
- always install "setup" - make it a dependency of every other package.
- change the label of "setup" in the start menu to something which makes it really obvious that this is how you add/remove/upgrade/rollback packages.  (Note that this is explained on the first page of the setup program.  If people choose not to install the standalone package recommended for beginners, and don't bother to read the instructions in the OSGeo4w installer, well...).
- Relabel the three options in the first screen of the installer to explain more fully what each does.
- Rewrite the explanation above these options - try and make it more concise so people read it and take it in.
- Mention on the download page that you just run "setup" again to add/remove/upgrade/rollback something.  Maybe repeating this information here will help ;)
- Explain that if you want to remove _everything_ you can just delete the main OSGeo4W folder.

I guess it would be _possible_ to make the osgeo4w installer automatically install "setup", and put something in the Windows "add remove programs" to launch it, but it would require more work...

Does anybody think those changes would be worthwhile?


Alister