System, method and computer program product for initiating a software download

A system for initiating a software download, comprising:

• a) logic for accessing via a network a page of a web site utilizing a browser application running on a client computer, wherein a plug-in application is included the page of the web site;
• b) logic for determining whether the client computer is suitable for receiving the plug-in application;
• c) logic for downloading the plug-in application from the web site to the client computer via the network if the client computer is determined to be suitable for receiving the plug-in application, wherein the plug-in application has instructions for downloading a download manager application to the client computer via the network;
• d) logic for downloading the download manager application to the client computer via the network utilizing the plug-in application, wherein the download manager application has instructions for downloading a software application in chunks to the client computer via the network;
• and
• e) logic for downloading the software application in chunks to the client computer via the network utilizing the download manager application.

A computer program product for initiating a software download, comprising:

• a) computer code for accessing via a network a page of a web site utilizing a browser application running on a client computer, wherein a plug-in application is included the page of the web site;
• b) computer code for determining whether the client computer is suitable for receiving the plug-in application;
• c) computer code for downloading the plug-in application from the web site to the client computer via the network if the client computer is determined to be suitable for receiving the plug-in application, wherein the plug-in application has instructions for downloading a download manager application to the client computer via the network;
• d) computer code for downloading the download manager application to the client computer via the network utilizing the plug-in application, wherein the download manager application has instructions for downloading a software application in chunks to the client computer via the network;
• and
• e) computer code for downloading the software application in chunks to the client computer via the network utilizing the download manager application.

A method for initiating a software download, comprising:

• a) accessing via a network a first page of a web site utilizing a browser application running on a client computer, wherein a plug-in application is included the first page of the web site, wherein the plug-in application comprises at least one of an ActiveX control;
• b) determining whether the client computer is suitable for receiving the plug-in application, wherein determining the suitability of the client computer for receiving the plug-in application includes determining whether the number of times the client computer has accessed the web site is under a predetermined threshold number, wherein a second page of the web site is displayed on the if the client computer is determined to be unsuitable for receiving the plug-in application;
• c) downloading the plug-in application from the web site to the client computer via the network if the client computer is determined to be suitable for receiving the plug-in application, wherein a security feature of the browser application of the client computer requires that a user of the client computer authorize the downloading of the plug-in application, wherein the plug-in application has instructions for downloading a download manager application to the client computer from a second web site via the network;
• d) downloading the download manager application to the client computer via the network utilizing the plug-in application, wherein the download manager application has instructions for downloading a software application in chunks to the client computer via the network from a web site other than the web site having the plug-in application;
• and
• e) downloading the software application in chunks to the client computer via the network utilizing the download manager application.