Keep It Simple

The most common problem that setup programs have is that they are just too complicated. Some setup programs have too many screens, ask too many questions, offer too many options, and require too much effort to use. Another common problem is that the resulting desktop configuration and file system often have too much clutter.

To realize how bad these problems are, we have to break away from our current way of thinking about setup programs. As Alan Cooper points out, "Some clever vendors have developed a market selling installation-program-making tools. These have tended to institutionalize the drawbacks of bad installation procedures. The dreary sameness of most installation programs somehow lends an unwarranted credibility to them." I think this observation is right on target. Setup programs all look the same. They are all too complicated. They are indeed dreary.