Jimco Software Reviews - Wise for Windows Installer 6.1 Professional (continued)
Rating
Usability : 4/5
WFWI is well-designed and quite easy to use. The only reason I didn't give it a 4/5 on this feature is that even after using it for quite a while, you will still find it hard to locate some features. Better organization of some features would fare better in this regard, but it's still incredibly usable for such a complex product.
Interface : 5/5
The WFWI interface earns a 5/5 because of the way that it successfully hides the complexity of what you're actually doing. The tabbed interface combined with Windows XP styled menus makes for a functional interface.
Intuitveness : 4/5
WFWI uses familiar interface components and lays them out in a way that anyone who has used Windows can relate to. This configuration makes WFWI quite intuitive. Some features are difficult to locate at times and some related features seem to be located in different places in the interface. That fact detracts one point from intuitiveness.
Features : 5/5
The features included in WFWI seem endless. The more you use the product, the more you realize it can do. There's almost no limit to the things you can accomplish with your installations.
Wise Update is another great feature that pushes the rating up to a 5. Using this feature, your users can keep up-to-date with the latest version of your application easily.
Documentation : 5/5
WFWI's documentation is excellent. Not only does Wise provide comprehensive documentation on WFWI, but they also provide access to documentation on the Windows Installer SDK right within the WFWI interface. No other source of information is necessary.
Wise also includes numerous video walkthroughs.
Price vs. Value Ratio : 5/5
WFWI earns a 5 out of 5 on Price vs. Value. The version I reviewed is the professional version and will run you $1,200. However, if you don't require the features in the professional version, you can get the standard version for $449. It's a great investment that's worth every penny.
Reviewer's Tilt : 3/5
I've been using WFWI for years and I'm a big fan. Even so, I rated the tilt at a 3 out of 5 because I did not bring a bias to the features found in version 6.
Overall : 4/5
I give WFWI a 4 out of 5 overall. It lost a point due to the 4/5 it earned for Usability and Intuitiveness. I highly recommend this product to anyone who has a need to distribute software.
Wise for Windows Installer 6.1 Professional
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