I would like to make a software CD of useful freeware, so that someone is able to first choose which programs to install from the CD, and then batch ("silent") install them without having to sit in front of his computer for the next two hours guiding each step of installation of each and every program. I would like this to be independent of the Windows CD and separate from installing Windows. I think that I understand generally how batch installing works. But how do you make a front end for the batch file that allows someone to choose which programs to install or not?

There is a free tool for this. WPI (Windows Post Installer) the current version is 6.2 I think.

Does WPI work and do what I want? Is there not something better? I did start to look at it, but I quickly felt inclined to give up on it because of the incomprehensible, poorly written instructions, and the strange black background that makes everything seem unreadable.

If you use batch file you can allways use "Choice" command (in xp you need choice.exe form win xp x64 or win 98 or win 2000 )to allow someone to choose which programs to install or not to install