Python Addin installation on server for multiple users

Despite ArcGIS Component (COM) model, Addins don't need any admin privileges for users to install. When you install an Addin on the server you can't expect it to be installed on your users machine. To automatically install Addins on users machine, first share your Addins in a public folder with read access. then add the path to this folder in ArcMAP for all users. In ArcMAP follow: Customize > Add-in Manager > Options > Add Folder. When the user opens ArcMAP, the Addin will automatically be installed on the user machine. Furthermore, when you update the Addin files in this folder all clients get the updated Addin installed as soon as they start Arcmap.

I shared my add-in the following way (for ArcMap 10.2):

• on each machine create a registry entry HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINESOFTWAREWow6432NodeESRIDesktop10.2SettingsAddInFolders Name=sharedFolderAddins. Unfortunately this is machine and not user specific...
  
• put your add-in in that shared folder
  
• the add-in appear automatically if the user starts ArcMap
  
• using folder security properties for AddinsAddin_1 you can publish add-in to specific user groups only

Be aware that the user requires read rights on every folder in your shared path (why ever that is?). It does not work if the read right is only set to Addins.

The way you seem to have tried it - installing an add-in by double clicking it - only installs it in the users profile: C:Users<username>DocumentsArcGISAddInsDesktop10.2

see also: http://resources.arcgis.com/en/help/main/10.2/index.html#//014p0000001m000000