Kurt, relax it is not SAS promoting that V-APP, it is becoming the standard with Windows desktops as a delivered service (DAAS). That is often by third party providers in bigger companies. The service desk is often also outsourced. I am assuming you are having a similar situation as all of that bigger organizations are doing it the same way. Root cause: old boys networking. The reason is all those application stacks (SAS Oracle Excel SAP classified as applications) making a mess and getting into conflicting requirements (ddl hell). Hoping app-v will be the solution for a stable OS an the desktop. As this is an external requirement for SAS and the others there is little choice, either join them or fight against it. Going for a new desktop strategy aside the official one is a fight (yes it happens). For the java clients it could be that lot easier as they are running already in a virtual machine with a zero impact on Windows. Just isolate that JVM (JPRE). The most easy approach would go for zero impact deploy (no app-v or whatever needed). To recognize those kind of approaches some vision is needed. The webstart approach is looking nice but introducing a dependicy to java in the browser. With that a dedicated sas browser is going into a app-v, could think the same on flash.     For evaluating SAS studio I would advice trying to use UE. It works but is having also a lot of weak points. May be it is sufficient or it is the next frustration.  Those msi packages you must like them It think. ... View more