Re: Deploying Cocoa Applications

FROM : Nick Zitzmann
DATE : Fri Jun 16 23:06:13 2006

On Jun 16, 2006, at 2:35 PM, Jerrod Fowkes wrote:

> What is the most accepted / professional way of deploying a true 
> cocoa native mac os x application?


IMHO, the best way is to distribute a disk image and allow users to 
install the application via drag and drop. The only problem with this 
method is it occasionally confuses some users, mainly System 7/8/9 
and Windows migrants who expect that everything they acquire has an 
automatic installer. There is one thing you can do that will clarify 
this a little bit, though - put a symbolic link to the Applications 
folder in the disk image and use a background image saying "to 
install, drag the program icon on top of the applications icon" or 
something similar.

You should only use installers if you must install some files in 
other places on the drive, e.g. /usr or /Library. Also, use only Tar/
BZip, Tar/GZip, or Zip to archive things unless you have a very good 
reason to use something else.

Nick Zitzmann
<http://www.chronosnet.com/>