Ask HN: Great resources to learn software deployment

#1

Post by sensemaker » Mon, Sep 27, 2010, 2:40 AM UTC

Dear gurus,

I have just developed a .NET desktop application and looking forward to allow people to download the application and install.

I am particularly worried that the software might (most likely) contain bugs, and I need push patches etc. I dont know how to do this.

Also I need to do piracy prevention using serial key/activation which I dont know how to begin with. I know this is not a popular opinion here, but I'd love to know how to do it.

All books in my local bookstores are about software development/testing/management. None on deployment. Searching with Google brings me to some short articles, but I prefer materials that I can seriously study and gain strong foundation of.

Please share good resources or advices related to deployment, and does not have to be limited to .NET platform.

Thanks.

Re: Ask HN: Great resources to learn software deployment

#2

Post by jaddison » Mon, Sep 27, 2010, 4:47 AM UTC

Don't look to solve the piracy problem in an absolute fashion - meaning, don't think that you can prevent people from hacking out your security measures. They can and they will. Starting with this frame of mind will help you to spend far less time (and money) on a problem that you can't really control.

Some people actually recommend not worrying about piracy of your software: think about it for a minute. You're going to need distribution and marketing for your product. If it's a good product that will be useful to people, then pirates will spread 'the word' for you for free.

If you then ensure to update the product frequently, you have a chance of keeping pirates out of date - inconveniencing them, so to speak - and they will likely crack and re-release the new version (more marketing for you).

The frequent product updating also helps to reassure your potential and paying users that you are actively supporting your product. They need to see this to know that they're getting their money's worth. :)

As far as how to do patching, likely whatever installer utility you are using supports patching, so you should look into that some more.

Re: Ask HN: Great resources to learn software deployment

#3

Post by bmelton » Mon, Sep 27, 2010, 2:02 PM UTC

I'm not a .Net developer by trade, but I've done a (very) little bit.

Within the .Net installer builder (at least with newer versions of Visual Studio), when you build your installer, it has an option to supply the 'installer URL'. If you do this, your application will check for a product update (I believe) every launch, and prompt the user to download and install the update if available.

I don't think it's amazingly sophisticated, in that it just checks the URL for files containing meta data with newer version numbers, but that's probably all you need in regards to your first point.

As for piracy protection, I really wouldn't worry too much about it.