WISE Script vs VBScript

Many times I come across articles, where people discuss on which to choose WISE Script or VBScript while creating Custom Action in the package. Here are some advantages and disadvantages of both.

While WISE Script is easy to make, I mean takes less effort, VBScript can be very complicated. People who do not know VBScript often find themselves searching for, and copying code from net. WISE Script can be easily written once you have basic understanding of statements. I give this point as an advantage to WISE Script, but people who know how to code in VBScript, will always choose that as an easy option.

Personally, I prefer VBScript over WISE Script because it has some really good advantages. As you might know, we compile WISE Script to an exe and include that in a package. But in doing this, we lose the code which we have written for it. By saying this I mean that, the code is not embedded inside MSI and cannot be taken out by any person who is going to do reverse engineering for your MSI - possibly for creating an upgrade of the MSI or even for doing quality check of your package (hoping that the quality checker will not wonder if you have left a virus in your exe.. :D).

For Repackaging, I will suggest VBScript. You can add VBScript as an embedded code or through binary table whichever you feel is good, but in both cases you can retrieve the code. This will make the MSI self sufficient. If you have used an exe, then you will need to carry the WISE Script file with it always. But, for the people who are doing packaging, and want to hide what they are doing with the Custom Action, creating an exe will be a good option.

If you would like to share your thoughts and experience or more advantages/disadvantages, do post them in the comments.