Decentralized management of software configurations

A peer to peer computer system comprising:

• a first computer connected to a plurality of computers by a network;
• the first computer comprising a central processing unit (CPU) and a memory communicatively connected to the CPU, the memory comprising program instructions that when executed by the CPU cause:
• the first computer to take an inventory of one or more applications stored in the first memory, wherein the one or more applications stored in the first memory are first computer applications;
• the first computer to request and receive a read-only copy of a plurality of ring data structures associated with each subscribed ring from one or more of the plurality of computers;
• the first computer to compare the first computer applications against one or more application identifiers within the received plurality of read-only copies of the ring data structures, wherein each of the one or more application identifiers identify an application stored in a respective local memory of the plurality of computers, wherein the application stored in the respective local memory comprises a ring identified applications;
• the first computer to present a prompt upon a user-interface, the prompt comprising a recommended ring associated with a recommended read-only ring data structure that contains a highest number of mutually inclusive applications of the compared first computer applications and the ring identified applications;
• the first computer to receive a user selection of the recommended ring via the user-interface;
• and
• the first computer to subscribe to the recommended ring, the subscribed ring comprising the first computer and a sub-set of the plurality of computers connected by the network, wherein in subscribing to the subscribed ring, the first computer and the sub-set of the plurality of computers are granted both read and write access to a subscribed ring data structure associated with the subscribed ring.

A peer to peer computer system method for managing software configurations, the method comprising:

• taking, with a first computer, an inventory of one or more applications stored in a first memory of the first computer, wherein the one or more applications stored in the first memory are first computer applications;
• receiving, with the first computer, a read-only copy of a plurality of ring data structures associated with each subscribed ring of a peer computer that is connected to the first computer by a network;
• comparing, with the first computer, first computer applications against one or more application identifiers within the read-only copies associated with the plurality of ring data structures, wherein each of the one or more application identifiers identify an application stored in a local memory of the peer computer, wherein the application stored in the respective local memory comprises a ring identified applications;
• presenting, with the first computer, a prompt upon a user-interface of the first computer, the prompt comprising a recommended ring associated with a recommended read-only ring data structure that contains a highest number of mutually inclusive applications of the compared first computer applications and the ring identified applications;
• receiving, with the first computer, a user selection of the recommended ring via the user-interface;
• and
• subscribing, with the first computer, to the recommended ring, the subscribed ring comprising the first computer and the peer computer, wherein in subscribing to the subscribed ring, the first computer and the peer computer are granted both read and write access to a subscribed ring data structure associated with the subscribed ring.