A currently popular format for Microsoft Windows is the MSI installation package, which is installed by Windows Installer. Companies making tools for creating installers for Windows include Install Shield, Macro vision’s Install Anywhere, Wise, Setup Builder and Script Logic Corporation (Formerly MaSaI Solutions). Most of these tools can create MSI packages as well as their own proprietary executables.
Free alternatives include NSIS, Click team Install Creator and Inno Setup, and a tool from Microsoft called WiX . Bit Rock has a multiplatform tool, called Install Builder, that creates installers for Windows, Mac OS X , Linux and many others and is free for open source projects. Java projects will also be interested in the open source IzPack installer which allows to generate cross-platform installers.
Mac OS X has an application called Installer bundled with it. However, this is not technically an installer (see table above), but a Package Manager. Some commercial applications for Mac OS X use a custom installer, often Installer VISE or Stuffit InstallerMaker. Applications that do not need to install additional system components can be installed by moving the application files to a desired location on a hard drive; this is known as "drag-and-drop installation" and no installer software is needed. Mac OS X also includes a separate software updating application, Software Update (also known by its shell command, "software update") but only supports Apple and system software.
An installation program on a CD is often designed to run automatically when inserted into the optical disc drive.
As a compromise between the Windows installer concept and the package management systems of UNIX-like systems, Windows installation management systems exist. Many of these form a part of a systems management software (and in some cases open source) alternatives exist.
Uninstall - removing the program and most of its belonging's from your system.
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