Skip to main content

Windows Package Manager automatically downloads and installs multiple software

Unlike Linux distributions, Windows doesn’t have a centralized repository of applications from where you can download and install all applications at once by just clicking a few buttons. Several independent developers in the past have tried to implement this in Windows with varying levels of success. FreeApp, Ninite (formerly Volery), FreewareUpdater, ZeuAPP, Ketarin and UpdateStar are a few worth mentioning.

Windows Package Manager is the newest among them. WPM automates downloading, installing and uninstalling of application on the Windows operating system with minimum user intervention. Currently over 100 applications are available in multiple versions taking the total downloads to around 180.

wpm

The repository is described and maintained on an XML file and available at Google Code Hosting. A user can also create their own repository and distribute their own applications using Windows Package Manager. All they have to do is to package their application as a ZIP file so it is accessible through HTTP and describe it in the XML file. This makes it possible to use WPM as a distribution system, for say, in an office or small organization. This is quite impressive.

The main features are:

  • Support for proxies (use the internet settings control panel to configure it)
  • Password protected pages. This can be used to restrict access to your repository.
  • Fast installation and uninstallation without user interaction.
  • Additional scripts for more sophisticated installation and uninstallation can be defined
  • Shortcuts in the start menu are automatically created/deleted
  • Multiple program versions can be installed side-by-side
Labels:

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

69 alternatives to the default Facebook profile picture

If you have changed the default Facebook profile picture and uploaded your own, it’s fine. But if not, then why not replace that boring picture of the guy with a wisp of hair sticking out of his head with something different and funny?
332 comments
Read more

How to Record CPU and Memory Usage Over Time in Windows?

Whenever the computer is lagging or some application is taking too long to respond, we usually fire up task manager and look under the Performance tab or under Processes to check on processor utilization or the amount of free memory available. The task manager is ideal for real-time analysis of CPU and memory utilization. It even displays a short history of CPU utilization in the form of a graph. You get a small time-window, about 30 seconds or so, depending on how large the viewing area is.
17 comments
Read more

How to Schedule Changes to Your Facebook Page Cover Photo

Facebook’s current layout, the so called Timeline, features a prominent, large cover photo that some people are using in a lot of different creative ways. Timeline is also available for Facebook Pages that people can use to promote their website or business or event. Although you can change the cover photo as often as you like, it’s meant to be static – something which you design and leave it for at least a few weeks or months like a redesigned website. However, there are times when you may want to change the cover photo frequently and periodically to match event dates or some special promotion that you are running or plan to run. So, here is how you can do that.
1 comment
Read more