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Thinstall MS Word 2003 only 17.6 MB?

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electronixtar:
So I encountered a ripped version of Microsoft Word 2003 the other day, it's a single executable without any further dependences, 17.6 MB, running normal word processing tasks properly without any problem. It's made of Thinstall. It's pretty amazing to see Word so tiny and portable. But in contrast OneNote2007, the smallest version found on Google is about 230MB.

I wonder how EXACTLY can you make MS Office that small? Is there a tutorial for this kind task?

joby_toss:
Be careful: "Every endpoint needs a Thinapp license to run Thinapped applications!"

Stoic Joker:
Many on the sites/links in that Google search made MSE very cranky. Not enough to warrant a full scan, but I'll not be exploring them further.

steeladept:
A tangent to be sure, but I think it may apply...

I was at a VMware User Group Event where Novell had a stall for their PlateSpin Product.  They were also showing off an application packager that would do something similar and they were giving away USB keys with a full install of Novell GroupWise installed on it.  They did it by taking an install and packaging all necessary components and putting them on the USB key so it could run independent of the packager - essentially making any program portable.  It wasn't cheap, but if Microsoft did something similar with Thinapp, it wouldn't surprise me.  Wish I could remember the Novell packager name.... :-\

Meh, sorry.  After researching it was Thinstall that they used.  It was right before or just as VMware bought it.  Sorry I couldn't help more.

steeladept:
Thinstall offers a solution by which Windows applications can be deployed on a client workstation without a local client/agent and without back end infrastructure. The applications are completely virtualized and can be, where necessary, even used from a removable storage medium. Thinstall offers an Application Virtualization platform with which
Windows applications are offered as ‘self-contained” EXE files. These EXE files can be executed without any installation, Administrator or PowerUser rights.

--- End quote ---
Found at http://www.brianmadden.com/blogs/rubenspruijt/archive/2007/12/10/application-virtualization-with-thinstall.aspx

From this, I think you may be mistaken - it doesn't require a Thinapp license.  Just the Thinstall license and a license for the app that is packaged.  Not certain on this - Brian Madden could have lead us astray, but he is usually up on his virtualization info.

Never mind.  I really should look at the dates.  This is from before the VMware purchase of Thinstall.  I still can't find any details on the VMware site about it's licensing yet.

Duh.  Look under Thinapp s***id.  Okay found all the details.  Thinstall was absorbed into the Thinapp package and is $5000 USD for the first 50 installs (includes packager and a few other niceties) and $40 for each install after that - so I guess it is as joby_toss said. VMware has always been expensive, but jeez, that still gives me sticker shock!

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