System and Methods for Applying Social Computing Paradigm to Software Installation and Configuration

• US 20080155534A1
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Published: 06/26/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Active Grant

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Pavesi, John R., Boss, Gregory J., O'Connell, Brian M., Hamilton, Rick A., Walker, Keith R.
• Granted Patent: US 8,136,090 B2
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 717/178
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 8/61 Installation
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 9/44505 Configuring for program initiating, e.g. using registry, configuration files

Abstract

A method for installation and configuration of a software product includes installing a software product and determining configuration settings of the software product based upon a social network of peers. A system for installation and configuration of at least one software product includes at least one client install package capable of utilizing a social network for at least one of installing software; transmitting configuration settings; transmitting post-installation configuration settings; or responding to post-installation configuration modifications; and a server that stores and aggregates the configuration settings of a plurality of users, forming at least one social network.

Claims

1. A method for installation and configuration of a software product, comprising:

installing a software product; and

determining configuration settings of the software product based upon a social network of peers.

2. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

asking a user at least one question during installation of a software product;

micro-classifying the user into at least one category by comparing the user'"'"'s answer to the at least one question to the answers of other users; and

downloading configuration settings that match the user'"'"'s micro-classification.

3. A method according to claim 2, wherein the at least one question is selected from the group consisting of questions about a user'"'"'s computer usage, questions to gauge a user'"'"'s computer experience or technological savvy, questions to gauge a user'"'"'s personality, questions about a user'"'"'s age, questions about a user'"'"'s education, and any combination thereof.

4. A method according to claim 2, further comprising asking the user at least one question after a predetermined time has elapsed after installation and configuration of the software product and updating the user'"'"'s micro-classification.

5. A method according to claim 2, further comprising analyzing the user'"'"'s own modifications to configuration settings installation and configuration of the software product and updating the user'"'"'s micro-classification.

6. A method according to claim 2, further comprising checking for changes to the user'"'"'s micro-classification and updating the user'"'"'s configuration settings.

7. A method according to claim 2, further comprising storing a user'"'"'s selected install options along with an appended directory.

8. A method according to claim 1, comprising:

selecting or subscribing to at least one profile of a user or a group of users; and

downloading configuration settings for the software product based upon the at least one selected profile.

9. A method according to claim 8, wherein the at least one profile of the user of group of users is based upon at least one category selected from the group consisting of age, educational level, educational institution, class or field of study, degree, geographic location, organization, club, hobbies, interests, company or employer name, job title, security level, administrator, family name, or technological level.

10. A method according to claim 8, wherein the configuration settings are based upon more than one profile.

11. A method according to claim 8, further comprising checking for changes to the at least one profile and updating the user'"'"'s configuration settings.

12. A method according to claim 8, further comprising storing a user'"'"'s selected install options along with an appended directory.

13. A method for installation and configuration of a software product, comprising:

analyzing a user'"'"'s configuration settings of an installed software product;

comparing the configuration settings of the installed software product with the configuration settings of a number of other users'"'"' installed software products; and

if the configuration settings are similar, downloading the other users'"'"' configuration settings for the user'"'"'s installation and configuration of a new software product.

14. A method according to claim 13, wherein the comparing of the configuration settings is based upon at least one of a predetermined percentage of similarity of configuration settings or upon a predetermined number of users.

15. A method according to claim 13, wherein, when there are multiple programs for comparison, the configuration settings of the software product with the most users are applied to the user'"'"'s installation and configuration of a new software product.

16. A method according to claim 13, wherein the configuration settings of an intersection of users having the same multiple programs are applied to the user'"'"'s installation and configuration of a new software product.

17. A method according to claim 13, wherein the comparing of configuration settings is based upon the same type of software product.

18. A system for installation and configuration of at least one software product comprising:

at least one client install package capable of utilizing a social network for at least one of installing software;

transmitting configuration settings;

transmitting post-installation configuration settings;

or responding to post-installation configuration modifications; and

a server that stores and aggregates the configuration settings of a plurality of users, forming at least one social network.

19. A system according to claim 18, further comprising a scheduling agent for prompting the at least one client installation package to contact a user, the server, or a combination thereof.

20. A computer program product, comprising:

a computer useable medium having a computer readable program, wherein the computer readable program when executed on a computer causes the computer to;

install a software product; and

determine configuration settings of the software product based upon a social network of peers.