1. What is the main difference with other Object Pascal Script Engines ?
We know a lot of projects are or were underway, or (nearly) finished to create an Object Engine, but at the time we started developing the Installer (end of 1999), we did not find any one we could use. They could parse some Object Pascal, but did not support some essential features like script based classes. We had to make our own, and are rather satisfied with the result. Our Scripting Engine has what is needed for creating installations, and we did not make consessions because something was difficult to implement, it contains for instance also Script based classes and units.

2. Why did you go through all this effort, why not simply use Delphi Components?
The main reason is that an installer must always be separated from the application it installs. This is a best practice rule in engineering; a system must never supervise itself. If something is wrong in a (new) application, it must be handled by another application that is stable and well tested.

Besides this, the use of scripting technology has other advantages:

• We could make a separate initial setup program
• We could decouple the upgrade process from the application. Upgrading can be done before the application starts. This improves the usability and simplifies the development of programs
• A script has a far smaller size then the equivalent compiled machine code.
• The Engine is downloaded only once, this reduces overhead when new upgrades are installed.
• Digital signature checking and decompression is possible outside the downloaded application.

3. Can I use the Script Engine in my application?
Yes, you can use the Script Engine in your applications.
For the conditions see Products:Script License