Consider moving Npcap (and then perhaps Nmap) installers from NSIS to MSI

This needs further research, but we are adding this issue to track our existing knowledge on this topic and to invite anyone else to comment if they have feedback about pros/cons, implementation ideas, potential obstacles, etc.

Nmap and Npcap currently use self-executable installers generated by NSIS (http://nsis.sourceforge.net/Main_Page). They our signed by our codesigning certificate. This has worked well for us for more than a decade (Nmap introduced our NSIS installer in January 2006). However, Microsoft Windows currently has a native software management system called Windows Installer, which processes MSI and/or MSP database files. MSI files are also often distributed as part of EXE bundles that first check whether the system's MSIEXEC.EXE exists and is new enough. If not, they unpack their own MSIEXEC and use that to install the MSI.

We are hoping to at least move Npcap OEM to an MSI.

It is worth noting that tools are available for converting NSIS EXE files into MSI ones, such as http://www.exemsi.com/. But it isn't clear whether that sort of MSI would be a big help for anyone or not.

Start by reviewing the existing NSIS installer setup for Nmap and Npcap, then investigate Windows Installer MSI/MSP requirements and the Npcap OEM goal described here. Done would require documented pros, cons, obstacles, and implementation ideas, plus a clear recommendation on whether and how to migrate.