Why track software installations?
An environment such as a university computer lab is often comprised of high numbers of identically-configured machines. To maintain them efficiently, one must implement file maintenance software such as RevRdist or Assimilator, which utilizes a master image on a server to distribute and maintain a standard configuration of software on an automated, daily basis. This of course requires knowing the precise System components belonging to each application, in order to add them to the master image to be distributed. To your benefit, 90% of Mac software is self-contained, with little more than a preferences file/folder in the System Folder. Most of the other 10%, those that insist on using System components, at least put them in some fairly obvious places – Control Panels, Control Strip Modules, or Extensions – and name them intuitively. So a majority of the time, you won’t have a lot of trouble getting it all. It’s the few problem children that put other mysterious or invisible items in the
