The Windows logic for this bundle is that in Windows the first entry in the search path is the current working directory (... the one in which the program is started). So, so if any Gramps dependency is in that same working directory , there is thus no need to look further for that dependency in a system folder and possibly load . This eliminates the possibility of loading an incompatible one -- thus "dependency hell" is avoided. This is also the reason why GrampsAIO must be started from its own folder. Also, in newer Windows versions there may be security restriction with shell scripts so GrampsAIO does not use one.)