Zero G Introduces InstallAnywhere 2.5
Breakthrough Features Include Faster-Than-Native Performance, Smaller
Footprint and Support for Sun’s JDK 1.2
SAN FRANCISCO, November 30, 1998 – Zero G Software, the leader in
multi-platform installer tools, today announced that it is offering the
fastest, most widely compatible installer development tool with the
introduction of its InstallAnywhere(TM) 2.5 Standard Edition.
An upgrade to the existing InstallAnywhere 2 Standard Edition,
InstallAnywhere 2.5 delivers significant breakthroughs in speed, surpassing
that of native-platform installers. InstallAnywhere is also leading the way
in multi-platform deployment, allowing Java technology developers to
quickly build installers for a wide range of platforms, including Windows
95, 98 and NT, UNIX (including Solaris and Linux) Mac OS, OS/2 and
virtually all other Java technology-enabled operating systems.
“InstallAnywhere 2.5 proves that it is possible to develop a solution in
Java that exceeds the performance of comparable native-platform tools,”
said Greg Maletic, executive vice president of Zero G Software. “Not only
do developers using InstallAnywhere get fast installations, they also get
the ‘write once, run anywhere’ benefits of the Java platform, letting them
use a single deployment tool that can install software to virtually any
operating system.”
InstallAnywhere 2.5 offers a host of new features that make it the fastest
and easiest-to-use solution for deploying Java software. Among these
features is a new, more powerful installer engine which can handle the
largest installations with thousands of files. Major performance
breakthroughs are also achieved with the new SpeedFolders(TM) feature which
treats multiple individual files and folders as a single object, resulting
in significantly smaller and faster installations. This enables
InstallAnywhere installers to run faster than platform-specific installers.
“InstallAnywhere runs as fast, if not faster, than native installers. Plus
we get the benefit of cross-platform deployment,” said Mark Israel, CTO of
HealthGate Data Corporation, the leading resource for medical information
on the World Wide Web. “And the interface is amazing… it makes it so easy
and quick to create an installer.”
Another unique feature of InstallAnywhere 2.5 is the option to include a
Java virtual machine (VM). When the Java VM is included, InstallAnywhere is
the only Java-based installer that can automatically install Java as part
of the installation – eliminating the need to download and install Java
separately.
Alternately, installers can be built without including the Java VM, thereby
making the installers smaller and faster to download. In this mode,
installers run on the pre-installed Java VMs included with today’s
operating systems. InstallAnywhere is fully compatible with JDK 1.2,
allowing developers to deploy their software for use with the latest VM
releases from Sun Microsystems.
InstallAnywhere also offers developers the ability to create
double-clickable application launchers for Java technology-based
applications, without the need to write batch or shell scripts. These
launchers, known as LaunchAnywhere(tm) executables, give Java
technology-based applications true double-clickable icons that can be
placed on the user’s desktop, in the Windows Start menu, or in the user’s
home directory. LaunchAnywhere automatically locates the correct Java VM,
configures all runtime options including classpath, and starts the Java
technology-based application without any complicated set up by the end-user.
ADDITIONAL FEATURES
Other important InstallAnywhere 2.5 Standard Edition features include:
– the ability to execute other programs (both Java and native), allowing
installers to call custom code or perform custom actions during
installation;
– configurable virtual machine parameters, including heap size, stack size,
and enabling or disabling of a JIT (just-in-time compiler);
– a simplified Web Installer process which allows the installer to run
directly from the Web;
– an all-new uninstaller with an improved user interface and feature set,
including the ability to remove Windows registry entries;
– improved support for command-line installer building, giving developers
the ability to build installers as part of their automatic build process;
– increased support for more Java-enabled platforms, including Linux, AIX,
IRIX, HP-UX, and all other UNIX platforms, in addition to the existing
support for Windows, Solaris, and Mac OS;
– increased support for the following virtual machines that support the
Java platform, including Sun’s Java JDK 1.2, Microsoft’s SDK for Java 3,
Symantec’s Visual Caf Java VM, Inprise’s Jbuilder Java VM, Apple’s MRJ
2.1, and Java 1.1.7 from other operating system vendors.
PRICING AND AVAILABILITY
InstallAnywhere is licensed on a per-developer-seat basis, allowing the
creation of an unlimited number of installers for one low price.
InstallAnywhere 2.5 Standard Edition is available now for US $995. The
upgrade price for current 2.0 Standard Edition users is US $395.
Zero G will be shipping InstallAnywhere 2.5 Express Edition in early 1999.
The Express Edition, which provides a subset of the Standard Edition
features, is designed for developers with simpler installation
requirements. Current InstallAnywhere 2 Express customers can upgrade to
InstallAnywhere 2.0 Standard Edition for US $745.
ABOUT ZERO G SOFTWARE
San Francisco-based Zero G Software Inc. is the leading developer of
multi-platform application deployment tools and provides Java consulting
services. A privately held company, Zero G’s InstallAnywhere has become the
de facto standard in multi-platform installation tools. Some of the
company’s customers include IBM, Intel, Novell and Sun Microsystems. Zero G
can be found on the Internet at http://www.ZeroG.com. Product sales
inquiries should be directed to Carrie Smith at 415/512-7771 x24 or
carrie@ZeroG.com.
CONTACT:
Colin Sanford
Zero G Software
415/512-7771 x29
colin@ZeroG.com