JAMF Composer 2007-2012 R.I.P. [URL]

[donmontalvo]

http://blogs.adobe.com/oobe/2012/05/jamf-composer-2007-2012-r-i-p.html

Remind me to spike Jody's beverage at the next JAMF meeting...LOL

[Yoshimi · Accepted solution]

The article does say it's a deliberately an attention grabber. In any case I haven't used Composer to package CS apps since CS 2.

In our environment we used AAMEE and Casper to deploy a custom installer that would skip AIR and other installer components that were not proxy-aware. I haven't packaged CS since about version 5.5, with an older version of AAMEE, but at the time excluding some of those components was the only way to get installs to run without choking on our proxy.

In any case I never used Composer to do anything more than package a disk image of the installer and the custom AAMEE installer app. We used one policy to deposit those in /Users/Shared, and another triggered on logout to simply run the installer.

[jarednichols]

Why is it again that Adobe doesn't use standard installers?

[Yoshimi · Accepted solution]

The article does say it's a deliberately an attention grabber. In any case I haven't used Composer to package CS apps since CS 2.

In our environment we used AAMEE and Casper to deploy a custom installer that would skip AIR and other installer components that were not proxy-aware. I haven't packaged CS since about version 5.5, with an older version of AAMEE, but at the time excluding some of those components was the only way to get installs to run without choking on our proxy.

In any case I never used Composer to do anything more than package a disk image of the installer and the custom AAMEE installer app. We used one policy to deposit those in /Users/Shared, and another triggered on logout to simply run the installer.

[donmontalvo]

@Yoshimi CS2 was easy to package and deploy. CS3 is directly responsible for my receding hairline.

@jarednichols Happens when developers aren't closely managed, they fly off on tangents, using non-standard tools in a misguided effort to "do it like we do it for Windows" to save a few pennies. There's a smart way to save money, and a stupid way to save money. Adobe chose the later and took a beating from the Mac admin community.

Adobe threw up the white flag and asked Victoria to engage people like us, then later they the reigns were given to a Casper savvy Jody Rodgers who's done an incredible job of turning the Adobe dev ship.

Jody has a lot of influence at Adobe. He's well respected in the Mac admin community, and Adobe is listening to him. Unfortunately Adobe is a big ship, so I wasn't expecting it to turn on a dime - AAMEE produces PKG installers but it's still sort of a hack. It'a a good hack, we've been able to deploy CS5/5.5 to many hundreds of Mac users with very few issues.

I was hoping CS6 would have better installers, but it looks like the Adobe dev team managers are still in control and making decisions that make their jobs easier, but make it harder for everyone to deal with. If Adobe continues to listen to Jody, things will continue to get better. Just not sure if the Adobe dev managers who are at the root of this Adobe non-standard installer fiasco are being pressured to listen...they should be...and with enough pressure they could be forced to change their wonky ways.

PS, I nominate Jody Rodgers for top-10 most significant 3rd party people in the JAMF's Mac community. :)

Don

[mm2270 · Accepted solution]

Interesting blog. The stories I've heard of the situation is that, were it not for JAMF pressuring Adobe to get their act together to come up with tools like AAMEE to replace their previously craptacular installers, we'd all still be mired in Adobe installation hell. Nice to see that Jody at least gives credit where its due in acknowledging the efforts JAMF and their customers have made in improving all this.
This is a clear cut case of if you don't demand it you won't get it. Mac admins demanded it, and with JAMF's helped, Adobe began to listen.
Things still aren't perfect, but its better than it would have been.

[talkingmoose]

AAMEE is Good news for JAMF. They no longer need to alter their software specifically to install Adobe products.

Bad news for InstaDMG and other disk imaging solutions. They still have no way to incorporate any Adobe CS product in their workflows.

The underlying problem still exists: Adobe isn't making their installers compatible with mainstream imaging methods. Developers like JAMF still have to design their tools to accommodate non-standard .pkg installers.

[donmontalvo]

Lots of stories floating around. LOL

I remember in mid 2010 we were knee deep in early AAMEE beta/LAB testing with Jody...and at the same time we were working with JAMF on deployment strategy. One day it clicked that Jody's new team and Wudi's team weren't yet in touch. So we sent an intro email. After that AAMEE started picking up steam and it hasn't slowed down. We're going to test AAMEE 3 on CS 6 but from what I'm reading there's a mix of "works great!" to "wow this is soo broken" feedback, so we won't begin packaging for deployment until we know for sure the PKG installers we create will be deployable.

I think most folks know that Jody is an IT guy who uses Casper...so he's one of Victoria's great finds at Adobe. Hopefully he'll get a promotion and ability to hire direct reports (the former without the later is a recipe for disaster). :)

@talkingmoose How is your AAMEE3/CS6 testing going so far? We're setting up but haven't tested yet...