>The topology is not always an issue. We are not in a closed-environment where I can control it 100% with installshield also. In fact, we use ftp downloads for updates and we only ship or email an install app to the client that then goes out to the ftp site and downloads the app and the runtimes at the same time. We have install cds and disks as an extra$ option for those whose connection is too slow to upgrade via the ftp site.

We're talking about different worlds here. Your comments seem to indicate that you are not supporting anonymous or semi-anonymous clients in a web-enabled application. I am an independent developer and consultant, and this is the type of application that several of my corporate customers want.

I have successfully implemented the update options you suggest. My desire is prompt discussions on how to improve upon that system.

My target end-users are incapable of going to an FTP site and downloading anything. Shipping out 100,000+ CD's all over the world is neither timely nor cost-effective.

I stand by my opinion that forcing the user to manage a setup, regardless of media or bandwidth, is an technically unnecessary imposition, and constitutes an impediment to widespread acceptance and usage of rich-client, web-enabled VFP applications.