Thoughts on Installers

[!NoItAll]

I have been using Installshield for several years now. I find it frustrating, esoteric and misnamed (Installshield was supposed to shield you from the complexity of installers, instead it just makes it different.
My recent experience with setting permissions for services is a great example. You have to use the cryptic SDDL in all its glorious raw format to make changes - the folks at Installshield (Flexera) never made any attempt to make this any easier then figuring out what

D:(A;;CCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRRC;;;SY)(A;;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;BA)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;IU)(A;;CCLCSWLOCRRC;;;SU)(A;;CCLCSWRPWPLOCRRC;;;WD)S:(AU;FA;CCDCLCSWRPWPDTLOCRSDRCWDWO;;;WD)
 

is supposed to mean. I did eventually figure it out, but not with any help from Installshield. Setting permissions for services should not be this difficult for heavens sake!

Perhaps Installshield is the best out there! I'm wondering what others use and what I should be evaluating at this point. My support contract is up in March and I think it would be a good time for me to look at the alternatives. Yes, I have a large body of Installshield work already - but I should not let that deter me from potentially moving to a better solution.
Suggestions please?

Des