Lynda,
For many apps (and especially web stuff), InstallShield is great. For example, you probably do want an easy way to modify the registry when creating Virtual Directories for IIS. Also, if you're distributing apps and don't know if or where they have VFP runtimes, you'll want to include most .dlls in your install directory since this is the first place any vfp 6 or above app will look - you don't want to mess with anybody's current runtime setup.
The Setup Wizard in VFP 6 was seriously lacking in at least 2 areas for us:
1.) no option for showing the software license.
2.) couldn't pass parameters to an executable called at the end of setup.
The new InstallShield does both, and, IMO, this is a real plus for VFP 7. You may want to give it a second look...

>I would have thought that including the runtime libraries in the Install Shield build would have included >all< necessary runtime files. Short of telepathy (and folks like you!) what's a harried developer to do?
>
>Actually, I never saw the VC runtime as an option while building the install -- but then I wasn't specifically looking for it either. So far, I'm not terribly impressed with Install Shield. For the majority of things I do, it's too complicated and quite cumbersome. I can see where some features would useful for vertical market apps. I particularly disliked the handlling of destination directories (would anyone really install a DLL in "c:\program files\your company name\default"?) and of the registry (I don't really want to mess with registry keys: just register the file properly as 6.0 used to do.) In short, it seemed like I was using a pile-driver to place a push-pin.
>
>OK, I'm through whining, but I'd pay $$ to get the Setup Wizard back.