Symantec Corporation

Symantec Operating Corporation

James Cabell Poole

Hans Van Rietschote

An online expert system that can communicate software installation instructions to a remote node through the use of a generic installer executing on the remote node is provided. Embodiments of the online expert system can identify a set of installation instructions configured to install a software product on the remote node, execute the set of installation instructions, record results of the execution of the installation instructions, and, if an error is detected in the results, submit the results for analysis to determine whether a solution to the error is available and execute the solution, if any. Aspects of the online expert system provide for the executing of the installation instructions to include communicating installation-related information to the remote node over a network. Further aspects of the online expert system provide for executing a solution to an error to include communicating solution-related information to the remote node over the network.

Online expert system guided application installation

A system, apparatus and method for reporting a failure in execution of a software transaction (e.g., scripts and executables to install software on a computer) to a network resource that can then store the error-related information and automatically provide a previously determined solution to the error or links to resources to which the customer can refer for help in resolving the problem is provided. Automatically searching a database of reported errors and their solutions for a variety of products and providing a found solution to a customer experiencing an error (e.g., an installation error) is further provided. In the event that a solution to a customer-experienced error is not found by the network resource, alternate sites for information such as a customer support website can also be provided.

Method and system for error reporting and correction in transaction-based applications

A method and apparatus for securing transactions using verified resource locations is described. In one embodiment, the method for authorizing a transaction request using published location information for at least one resource includes examining relationship data regarding at least one resource to identify at least one publisher computer and at least one subscriber computer, wherein the at least one publisher computer communicates location information for the at least one resource and in response to at least one transaction request from the at least one subscriber computer, comparing the location information with the at least one transaction request to verify at least one resource location.

Method and apparatus for securing transactions using verified resource locations

A computer system and method for installing a software product. A computer system includes a client coupled to a server. The client obtains an installation package of files to be used to install the software product and for each file, determines if there is a later file version available. The client creates a temporary folder. For each file, if a later version is not available, the client adds a link to the temporary folder that refers to the file in the installation package and if a later version of a file is available, adds a link to the temporary folder that refers to the later version of the file. The client executes an installation operation on the temporary folder. For only those files for which a later file version is available, the client may add links that refer to files downloaded from a server and stored in an update folder.

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Oviedo, FL, United States of America

James Cabell Poole