>>proponent of using tools when they are available

The word "tool" is often a misnomer when applied to software.
Unless you're Superman, you can't remove a lug nut without a breaker bar. That breaker bar is a tool, as I see it.
As I define tools Windows is a tool or SQL Server is a tool.
But many software "tools" are really "other ways of doing things that you can already do without them"
My criterion for using them is fairly simple:.
they have to solve a problem that bothers me enough to make me want to look for another way to accomplish the thing that's bothering me. Even so if I think that I'll be able to resell the skills that I develop by not using the "tool" I may push ahead without it anyway.

Recently I did a project that involved PGP. I could have horsed around for weeks and done it myself, but I came across a nifty library for about $400 that let me do the job in a few hours and make the client think that I'm a genius. To me that was a no brainer but I must say that I rarely see "tools" with that kind of payback.
















>I worked with Delphi for about a year (liked it a lot) and we used InstallShield. It created a slick, professional looking setup program for our clients and seemed to have all the bases covered. A very mature product. To me it epitomizes the folly of trying to roll your own when there is a relatively inexpensive commercial product available. Even on my most arrogant days I wouldn't expect to be able to develop an equivalent program for the same cost of my labor time.
>
>Charles Hankey and I don't agree on everything but we are on the same page here. He is a big proponent of using tools when they are available. It isn't because he couldn't do it himself; he seems to have become quite a .NET powerhouse. He just doesn't consider reinventing the wheel a good use of his time.
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>>That might be the reason for my client having problems: they use a delphi based install engine with own script language installing apps ranging from C over C++, java to Vfp.
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>>>An InstallShield setup package will correctly register this DLL for you. Trying to manually register DLLs in later versions of Windows seems to be progressively more complex.
>>>
>>>
>>>>An old client just surfaced with some problems. I used Cryptor 5 to give him the encryption he wanted in the application.