Software Distribution Methods

Software distribution can take on many forms these days. The most common channels are physical media such as CDs or DVDs and downloaded content in the form of an executable file or compressed file. Other methods include network server hosting and installation and push technology where the software is loaded and updated from remote locations such as the web or corporate office. Occasionally software is embedded in products such as external USB hard drives to be installed when the device is powered on.

Gone are the days of floppy disk installation, but physical media still dominate the software distribution channels with CDs and DVDs comprising the vast majority of software sold. Nearly any program you buy in a store or online that comes in a box will have an installation disc or two included to allow you to install the software. Some still require the disc to be inserted every time you want to run the program as well, but that is less common than it used to be before the Internet was in such wide use.

Downloaded content comes from the web and takes on three distinct forms. The most common is the compresses or .zip file that gets downloaded and decompressed into an executable installation or setup file. Less common are the actual executable or setup files themselves, although you do see them from time to time. Becoming more popular are image files or .iso files that allow users to create their own physical media on optical discs such as CDs and DVDs and then use those discs for installation.

Network server installation occurs mainly in the corporate or institutional settings where a centralized information technology department can load setup files onto a server and allow users to connect across the LAN to install the software without the need for an Internet connection or physical media. This allows a fast, efficient installation from each workstation and can also allow administrators to customize the installation for particular client needs, giving some clients access to more than others for example.

Push technology is software sent to a computer from an outside source, and usually takes place on corporate or institutional networks as well. This happens when the software is sent to the client computers from an administrator computer or a server and is installed over the network without any interaction from the user except perhaps clicking the OK prompt once.