Looking for ideas on creating Linux software "installer" that has no visible source.
 

Well the subject line really says it all. I'm not "new" to Linux but I have never really developed applications to be distributed to other Linux systems or enviroments.

Basically, I have created a remote client application that needs to be installed on multiple machines that potentially have different Linux distributions on them. Compiling from source is NOT an option unless there is a way to mask or make the source files inaccessible that I am unaware of (although this doesn't really sound all that possible).

What I am trying to build would be similar to the Mozilla install or the Flash Player plugin for it which contains no listed source code and works on nearly any distribution, and I am not sure how to go about that.

I have built RPM's and other package types but I am trying to get away from the specificity that these packages tend to create. It could be that creating a "built disbribution" is much easier than I think, but once again, I'm not really sure how to produce this in the Linux enviroment. What I really want is a more distribution independent solution that isn't the direct source compilation.

Any help would be appreciated, and if you have a question about just what the hell it is I'm trying to say I'll be more than happy to try and clear it up.
:p

Thanks!

I would compile installer/program with static libraries instead of shared by default with the gcc switch -static

The answer to your problem
 

Take a look at autopackage. It will work quite nicely:

http://autopackage.org/

Hey Thanks!

Both of these worked out great.
The autopackage tool is pretty excellent though, it's exactly what we were looking for here.
I appreciate the help!

This is, after all, the best place to go to get it.