Microsoft Technology Licensing, LLC

Paul Clay Barr

Aidan T Hughes

Kiran Kumar

Anzhelika Y Nishanova

Michael C Hilsdale

J Anthony East

Nnaemeka M C Nduaguba

John P Jennings

Peter Gregory Davis

Raju Jain

Jonathan David Wiswall

Jason C Mayans

Isaiah Ng

Craig Thomas McIntyre

Gordon George Free

Scott Kurtzeborn

David Yalovsky

Guillermo Enrique Rueda

James Andrew Bennett

Bradley Michael Corob

Alyssa Ann Dunn

Jow Keng Yap

Tom Coon

Shane A Morrison

Terri V Cheff-Goldade

A multi-user computing device, such a communal computing device like an interactive digital whiteboard, can execute single user aware ('SUA') applications and multi-user aware ('MUA') applications. Instances of SUA applications execute in the context of a single user. MUA applications can execute in the contexts of multiple authenticated users simultaneously. A multi-user aware OS platform authenticates and de-authenticates users of the multi-user computing device. The multi-user aware OS platform provides notifications to MUA applications when users are authenticated and de-authenticated. When a new user is authenticated, MUA applications begin executing in the context of the newly authenticated user and any other previously authenticated users. When users are de-authenticated, MUA applications stop executing in the context of the de-authenticated user but continue executing in the context of the remaining authenticated users of the multi-user computing device. Data associated with the de-authenticated user is removed from the multi-user computing device.

Multi-user computing device configured for executing applications in multiple user contexts simultaneously

Methods, systems, and apparatuses are described here that identify meeting content. A meeting content determiner in a shared computing device identifies a group including two or more participants in a meeting, where at least one participant of the group is logged into an account associated with a meeting content determiner. Further, the meeting content determiner identifies content associated with the two or more participants, and accessible by the at least one participant logged into the account and displays indications of the identified content to one or more participants of the group.

Identification of meeting group and related content

Technologies are described herein for mitigating user interruption for partially downloaded or streamed virtual applications from a network, such as the Internet. A memory abstraction module can monitor page faults related to memory requests. A page fault may result from a memory request to load code that is not currently available and may trigger the retrieval of code from the network. A monitoring module may identify the quantity or frequency of page faults resulting in code fetches over the network. When the quantity or frequency of fetches over the network exceeds one or more thresholds, an indication of potential delay may be provided to the user. Modified code within an application can trigger download of a collection of code related to specific functionality within the application referred to as wrapped functionality. The user may be provided with a cancel button, or other mechanism, to abort the wrapped download.

Mitigating user interruption for partially downloaded streamed and virtualized applications

Methods, computer program products, and systems facilitate installation of a multi-installer program. A method involves executing a custom action holding an installer mutex associated with installing a core installation via a core installer of a multi-installer program, spawning from within the custom action a spawned custom action capable of awaiting execution until the custom action no longer holds the installer mutex, and executing the spawned custom action to confirm when installation conditions are met for implementing an add-on installation associated with an add-on installer of the multi-installer program. The method may also involve confirming to a target user that the installation conditions are met. When the installation conditions are met, multiple installation actions can be implemented sequentially. The installation conditions may include the installer mutex no longer being held but available for use, completion of core installation, and an installer service being available to complete the add-on installation.

Facilitating multi-installer product installations

Methods, computer program products, and systems advertise multi-installer programs in a local system context with single installer deployment. A method involves initiating in a local system a custom action associated with a core installer of a multi-installer program, finding a satellite installer associated with the core installer, and gathering data associated with the local system on which the multi-installer program is to be advertised. The method also involves scheduling another custom action for later execution to advertise the satellite installer, spawning from within the custom action the other custom action by leveraging privileges associated with installing the core installer on the local system, impersonating a target user of the local system, accessing pre-generated scripts associated with the satellite installers, and advertising the satellite installers via the local system. Pre-generated scripts of the satellite installers are accessed and the scripts are applied to the target user to facilitate satellite installer advertisement/assignment.

Multi-installer product advertising

A metadata-based application model for software systems provides for the integration and storing of application metadata with the application itself effectively replacing the system registry. In calling or updating the application components or modules, queries to the metadata within the application folders returns references to the files with metadata that matches the query. The component or modules are called or updated within the file using the returned reference. The present invention also provides a data structure comprising a data field for the application code and another field for the metadata.

Metadata-based application model for large applications

A portable storage device includes an interface and one or more flash memories. The one or more flash memories store one or more executable files that can be executed by a host computer to which the device is coupled without altering any environment settings on the host computer even though the one or more executable files include instructions to access environment settings. Additionally, the application is bound to the portable storage device during an activation process.

Portable applications

An integrated application setup enables the implementation of application customizations through patch technology. A customization patch extends a typical patch file format such that the customization patch serves as a container for application customization data useful for customizing an application using different underlying technologies. The contents of the customization patch can include transforms, cabinet files, and XML content containing customization information.

Customizing a software application through a patch file

An entry for a file to be stored in a file system can be created. A priority is assigned to the file that indicates an importance of the file relative to a plurality of additional files stored in the file system, the priority being one of three or more priorities available to files in the file system. Additionally, one or more of the files that are associated with the lowest priority values can be automatically deleted.

Prioritized files

An integrated application setup enables the generation and expression of application customization intent in a generic manner that is indifferent to the way in which the customization intent is implemented. A customization application integrates the process of customizing a target application with the standard setup process for the target application. The customization application allows a user to review customization options for the target application and to specify customization intent through an application configuration user interface (UI). The customization application then generates customization XML that expresses the user's customization intent.

Integrated setup for generating customization XML

Described herein are one or more implementations for facilitating the installation and/or maintenance of software products from a cached software-installation source. With at least one implementation, an installation-source manager loads installation-source components of an already-installed software product into an installation-source cache of a computer. The manager then enables the loaded installation-source components in the installation-source cache so that the computer is configured to acquire installation source components of the already-installed product from the loaded installation-source components in the installation-source cache. The manager does these things without re-installing the already-installed software product. With at least one implementation, an enterprise installation-source manager obtains installation-source components of a software product. The manger then loads, over a computer communications network, the obtained the installation-source components into an installation-source cache of each of multiple network-coupled computers.

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Redmond, WA, United States of America

Paul Clay Barr