Latest Software Installation Development Tools Enable Developers to Leverage Microsoft .NET XML Web Services Framework

Business Wire, July 3, 2002

Business Editors/High-Tech Writers

Wise Solutions, the leading provider of application installation and management products and services, announces the release of version 4.2 of its Wise for Windows Installer and Wise for Visual Studio .NET products that provide corporate and independent software developers the tools for authoring and customizing software installations.

These new releases allow developers to leverage the latest Microsoft technologies, including complete support for Microsoft(R) Windows(R) Installer and .NET XML Web services.

Successfully deploying Web services and Web applications requires sophisticated tools to handle the installation, configuration and frequent updates of these applications. The latest release of Wise products offers the industry's first distribution management tool that helps prepare Web services and Web applications for deployment.

"We are proud to again be first-to-market with total support of Microsoft technologies, and these latest features ensure developers can easily deploy XML Web services applications and comply with Microsoft standards," said Kim Gusta, strategic market manager at Wise Solutions. "Both products guide developers through the installation development lifecycle, supporting Windows Installer technology independent of the development environment."

Wise for Windows Installer guides developers from design to delivery providing professional, reliable software installations. Wise for Visual Studio .NET, similar in functionality and based on the award-winning Wise for Windows Installer, is embedded within the Microsoft Visual Studio .NET interface. Wise for Visual Studio .NET synchronizes the installation development lifecycle, resulting in simultaneous development of installations and applications - ultimately reducing development time, eliminating installation errors and improving end-user installation reliability. Moreover, this is accomplished automatically, requiring little developer interaction.

"As a Microsoft Partner, Wise is a great help to developers building highly distributed applications, like XML Web services," said Sam Henry, lead product manager for Visual Studio at Microsoft. "Integration with Visual Studio .NET makes the lifecycle more efficient, eliminates common installation problems, and improves the end user's satisfaction by improving the installation experience."

Both products share key features:

-- XML Web services support makes it easy to create installations for Microsoft's IIS Web server. The XML Web services template sets up the required directories, and the Virtual Directory feature makes configuration simple, providing everything needed to deploy XML Web services

-- With Clean Build, developers can enhance installation quality by building installations on "clean" build PCs. With this feature, all the necessary source files are copied to a build PC, and the installation is built without impacting your pristine build environment

-- Microsoft Visual Basic and C# Project import allows developers to import projects created in Visual Basic (version 5,6, or .NET) or C#

-- MSI Script(TM) is a real powerhouse when it comes to viewing and editing any Windows Installer package as a logical, sequential script. Users can define IF statements, set properties and add comments, while still following all of the open standards defined by the Windows Installer service

-- WiseUpdate(TM) makes it easy for your end-users to upgrade to the latest version of your software. Without any coding changes, your software can automatically check for available updates and download and install the updates. Unlike other expensive update services that connect to third-party servers, you can provide unlimited updates to your customers with no additional cost or risk

About Wise Solutions Inc.

Wise Solutions is the leading provider of application installation and management software and services to Fortune 1000 companies. With a worldwide customer-base, Wise Solutions' global headquarters is located in Plymouth, Mich., with regional sales and professional services offices in Washington, D.C., Redmond, Wash., and the Netherlands.

Wise's corporate solutions, including the award-winning Wise Package Studio, help system administrators and corporate developers solve their application installation and management problems. Wise's unmatched expertise developing installation technology and experience helping companies deploy applications is the basis for the company's renowned products and services. Wise products make the job easier, save time and money, and produce high-quality, reliable installations. Learn more about Wise Solutions on the Web at www.wise.com.

(C)2002 Wise Solutions, Inc. All rights reserved. All other trademarks are property of their respective owners.