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I have a different fix: don't use installers at all and release applications as portable self-contained directories. You don't need fancy support for silent installs, you just push the directory and you're done. No need for a middleman repo either.

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For software targeting more advanced users and with limited dependencies, I agree. But if your software has large shared runtime requirements, is expected to be used by simple users expecting an icon, has non-trivial installation checks, etc, an installer is the way to go.

Second that. Every single Windows proggie pollutes so many different directories including system ones as well as registry entries - so it became impossible to clean OS and leaving it cluttered with leftovers all over the places.

Windows uninstallers and cleaners became a whole industry by itself.

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