[jdev] Suggestions for Windows installer creators

[Frank Seesink]

I just wanted to ask all the Windows developers out there for 
recommendations of installer creator programs.  Which one do you use, 
why, and do you recommend it?  Advantages/disadvantages...all the usual.

Any help would be appreciated.  My initial goal is to create an 
installer for a GPL, open-source project.  Specifically, I hope to make 
a Windows installer of Jabberd 1.4.3.  Will first try to build Jabberd 
without its current Cygwin dependencies, but failing that, will try to 
at least mimick the older 1.4.2 install.  I hope to add in at least JUD 
and MU-C components, possibly xdb_sql and xdb_ldap.  Then I plan to 
tackle Jabberd2, rinse, repeat.  My time is limited unfortunately (I do 
this for fun, not as my main job), and I have no set timeframe, so 
please don't ask.  I would very much like to get this right over getting 
it out fast but buggy.

I've found several installer creators out there, from the venerable 
InstallShield and VISE installers, to a variety of shareware, freeware, 
and/or open source packages.  Some are GUI-driven, others script-driven, 
others are script-based but have 3rd party GUI frontends (like ISTool 
for Inno Setup).

A few that I've seen used by others like various Jabber client 
installers and such include

Inno Setup
        http://www.jrsoftware.org/isinfo.php
        * script-driven, free, open-source, no nag screens
Nullsoft Scriptable Install System (NSIS)
        http://nsis.sourceforge.net/home/
        * script-driven, free, open-source, no nags
Installer2Go
        http://www.dev4pc.com/installer2go.html
        * GUI-driven, not open-source, free version has nags
InstallBase
        http://installbase.sourceforge.net
        * GUI-driven, free, open-source, no nags
InstallAnywhere
        http://www.zerog.com/
        * commercial
Tarma Installer2
        http://www.tarma.com/products/tin/index.htm
        * GUI-driven, not open-source, free version has nags
to name just a few.

Thoughts/ideas/raves/rants welcome.  Thanks in advance for feedback.
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