System and methods for applying social computing paradigm to software installation and configuration

• US 8,136,090 B2
• Filed: 12/21/2006
• Issued: 03/13/2012
• Est. Priority Date: 12/21/2006
• Status: Expired due to Fees

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Boss, Gregory J., Hamilton, Rick A. II, O'Connell, Brian M., Pavesi, John R., Walker, Keith R.
• Primary Examiner(s): Mitchell, Jason
• Application Number:
  US11/614,291
• Publication Number:
  US 20080155534A1
• Time in Patent Office: 1,909 Days
• Field of Search: None
• US Class Current: 717/121
• 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:

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

comparing the configuration settings of the installed first 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 use in the user'"'"'s installation and configuration of a second software product.

2. A method according to claim 1, wherein the configuration settings are considered similar if a predetermined percentage of the settings are the same or a predetermined number of users applied the same settings.

3. A method according to claim 1, 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 second software product.

4. A method according to claim 1, wherein the configuration settings of users having the same multiple programs are applied to the user'"'"'s installation and configuration of a second software product.

5. A method according to claim 1, wherein the comparing of configuration settings compares configuration settings of the same type of software product.

6. 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 installing software;

transmitting configuration settings;

transmitting post-installation configuration settings; and

responding to post-installation configuration modifications;

a server that stores and aggregates the configuration settings of a plurality of users, forming at least one social network, and processes a transitive comparison of a user'"'"'s configuration settings of a software product with configuration settings of other users'"'"' software products, and

uses the transitive comparison to download configuration settings of a second product for the user when the other users have the second product installed.

7. A system according to claim 6, further comprising a scheduling agent for prompting the at least one client installation package to contact a user, the server, or a combination thereof.