Windows Installer VS 2005 Setup Project...DeleteAtUninstall

[Rob R. Ainscough]

I've posted this before and after doing some research discovered that the
"DeleteAtUninstall" setting in the Registry view of my Setup project is a
useless and meaningless option that doesn't work at all -- to retain Windows
Logo compatibility setting DeleteAtUninstall to either true or false results
in the registry entry being deleted regardless.

Now this begs the question:
1. Why even provide the option if the result is always to remove the
registry entry?
2. Is there a work around to this?

I guess Microsoft have deemed that NO application should be permitted to
share a registry entry (except of course their own like Office)? As an end
result I've had to create application specific duplicate entries for each of
my applications -- Microsoft thinks this a good thing?? Can someone tell me
how creating 10X (or 100X or whatever) more entries in the registry can be a
good thing when I only need one shared entry?

Correct me if I'm wrong, but isn't the real issue that the Windows Installer
can't deal shared entries? Shouldn't it be able to track shared entries by
associated of multiple GUIDs with a single entry? Not like Microsoft
doesn't have the resources to do this? Is it?

Is this done so that it keeps the third party tool makers alive like
InstallShield?

I'm a little frustrated.

Rob