Method and system for executing one of several forms of a multi-purpose

Abstract

Methods, systems, and software for executing a particular form of a multi-purpose program in a distributed computing environment are disclosed. In one embodiment, a multi-purpose program is executed in one of two forms upon a request to invoke the multipurpose program in a distributed computing environment. If the program is invoked for executing in an applet form, one possible form of the multi-purpose program, the system makes dynamic calls to a remotely accessible file library for operation of a specific function of the program. If the program is invoked for executing in an application form, another possible form of the program, the system makes local calls to a locally accessible file library for operation of a specific function of the program. In a preferred embodiment, a startup environment is created and adapted for running any one of the several forms of the multi-purpose program. In another embodiment, the applet form of the multi-purpose program is designed to run in a browser environment and the application form is designed to run outside a browser environment.