Windows Full Install (English x86)

Initial Conditions

1. The first build tested from Apache OpenOffice is identified as OpenOffice.org 3.4.0 OOO340m1 (Build:9584). Is is the 2011-12-15 Developer Snapshot uploaded by Raphael Bircher. The file is identified OOo_3.4.0_Win_x86_install_en_US.exe.

1. The installation begins with the installer downloaded to a file location from which it can be executed.

Initial Configuration

There are many variations of initial configuration that matter. The first one is not the simplest but accounts for possible interactions with existing installations.

The initial scenario is using a configuration of Windows Vista that already has three other ODF-supporting applications installed:

Observations

• The previous version of OpenOffice.org is OO.o 3.3.0-it, installed as an experiment around differences in UI and writing aids. It was already noticed that the 3.3.0 install stole the file associations that had been previously associated with the Libre Office installation.
• The shadowed-button works well as a desktop icon/shortcut. I don't link the tint that much, but it is a recognizable, simple icon that could be useful to preserve. Taking it through a tansition that blends in some sort of Apacheness over time would be interesting along with the march to top-level project.
• This processing model for this scenario is with Windows Vista Ultimate SP2 (32-bit) installed on a Windows Virtual PC under Windows 7 Ultimate. The processor is an Intel i7-980X. – dh:2011-12-20T00:11Z

Issues/Migration

• The name associated with the desktop icon/short-cut of course.
• The tooltip acknowledges Oracle support. The other text is fine.
• This is worth describing with regard to our own build status. I record it here as part of capturing observations when they occur (for now). – dh:2011-12-18T22:19Z

Variations

• Different versions of Window
  • The next version of Windows available for testing
  • The oldest supported platform
  • One older than the oldest supported platform (for the purpose of determining what the failure is like, if any).
• Different processor/platform combinations

Download Presence

Observations

• The button icon with download arrow works very well at the small (detail) size.
• I added a date to the beginning of the downloaded file name to help me differentiate different builds. I got the date of the build wrong, but it work as a differentiator for the download and these screenshots anyhow.
• the larger button icon is great too, used in the lower left of the Windows Explorer window. It is obscured because more than one file is selected.
• the "modified" date is the local time and date when it was downloaded in this case.
• This file location is at a UNC path (i.e., \\Whs\...) to a shared folder on a file server. These work fine and I don't expect any regression. – dh:2011-12-19T00:13Z

  Issues/Migration

• none

Variations

• Installation from a thumb drive
• Setup from a CD-ROM
  • Simply as a file-system source
  • As an Autorun installation
  • As a gold disk with enterprise setup
• Over-network enterprise installation

Installer Startup

Installation was initiated by double-clicking the downloaded installer file.

Observations

• There are three kinds of warnings that can occur at this point. First, files that are downloaded form the internet may provoke a warning before execution is allowed. Secondly, there is some verification of the EXE (which is a problem in this case). Finally, there is a requirement for administrative operation of the installer. This message reflects at least the last two of those cases.
• The nightly builds are not signed.

Issues/Migration

• A signed .EXE is needed
  • It would be valuable for any downloadable binary to be signed although this might not work with automated builds.
  • A process and appropriate ceremonies for binary releases is needed that includes signing the binary in the form that is verified by Microsoft Windows.

Variations

• Installation that doesn't require elevated privileges?
  • How failure happens when installation is attempted without sufficient privileges
• Setup of a portable version?

Installation Setup

The download sets-up in two stages. The configuration for setup is extracted from the installer executable and then setup is executed. This can be mystifying. (See observations in conjunction with the different dialogs.)

Verification of the Installer

Observations

• Here three sizes of the download button image can be seen:
  • in the detail of the installer listing in Windows Explorer
  • in the simple splash that is shown while the installer is being verified
  • in the expanded detail about the selected file shown at the bottom of the Explorer window (with super-imposed elevated-privilege marker) on the ones displaed by Windows itself
• These can be retained without difficulty and perhaps tuned slightly for differentiation to reflect Apache OpenOffice migration to a Top Leve Project.
• This verification process is against damage to the installer. It is separate from authentication of a signed executable or an external check (MD5, external signature, SHA1, etc.).

Issues/Migration

• Nothing critical

Variations

• Presumably an install from CD-ROM or a flash drive might skip much of this and work with setup folders directly. There are more variations listed at that point.
• The message needs to be internationalized for different set-up languages
• The message might need to be different because of the difference between installer and setup.

Installation Preparation

Once the installer is verified, it is discovered that the first stage is not yet complete.

Observations

• This is the first clue that we aren't doing setup yet, what has happened is that the setup installer has been verified and is now going to operation. Or perhaps the installer setup is now going into operation. The sequence of displays should be reviewed for consistency.
• The separation between what the installer installs and then what setup does could be clarified. It is not clear how this could be blended in better though.

Issues/Migration

• Dialog Title strip
  • The download button symbol appears in the left of the title band at the top of the dialog window. This can be retained.
  • The title of the dialog needs to be updated to identify what Apache OpenOffice version installation is being prepared.
• The left column has material that must be replaced for Apache OpenOffice
  • Replace the OpenOffice.org and gulls logo at the top of the column.
  • The standing gull button with shadow is useful to keep.
  • The Oracle name at the bottom of the left sidebar needs to disappear.
• The text column needs to be updated to refer to the correct product and version
  • The Thank you needs to be reworded.
  • The mention of OpenOffice.org in the first paragraph needs to be changed.
• There is no functional change, it is just static content that needs to be corrected.

Variations

• The different internationalizations
• Possible avoidance with installation from pre-built setup folders as on CD-ROMS, thumb drives, etc.

Selecting Setup Installation Location

Now it gets very confusing. When the "Select Folder" dialog comes up next, I immediately go into the Browse option. Here I am setting up a new folder in the same UNC location that I downloaded the installer to, identifying which installation I am using it with:

Observations

NOTE: I did not capture the Select Folder dialog before I browsed for a folder location. I will compensate for that after this screen. – dh:2011-12-20T02:06Z

• The browse to a folder to use has a straightforward dialog.
• Navigation onto the network, to a server, and then down to the folder is a bit cumbersome because this doesn't have an Explorer view.
• If I hadn't been doing this for a lot of OpenOffice-based installations, I would not know whether the folder I choose will receive files (yes) or will it receive a folder so it is safe to use a folder that already has other materia (no).

Issues/Migration

• The title bar of the "Browse for Folder" dialog is fine, still using the download button.
• The text names the product and version and that needs to be changed.
• This is not really OpenOffice.org that is being installed. It is the setup that is being installed. That needs to be very clear (and another reason for reviewing the nomenclature).

Variations

• This examples uses a UNC location on a local-area file server.
• Installing setup on a CD-R/W drive might be interesting.
• Installing setup on a flash drive would also be useful.
• I assume that a CD-ROM install would already have the setup expanded into a folder that auto-run or a manual setup execution could use. It would be interesting to confirm that this is an easily-constructed variation for future re-install, installation on multiple systems, etc.