Maintaining software and data

A method of updating computer software and/or data in any one of a plurality of recipient computers, a recipient computer being a computer that is to be updated, the update being provided to the recipient computer by a data owner computer, the method comprising the steps of:

• said recipient computer sending an update request as an e-mail message to the data owner computer, the update request specifying the files to be updated and including a unique message ID that is unique to the update request;
• said data owner computer automatically analysing the update request to determine the files to be updated and preparing a corresponding software and/or data update in response to receiving the update request e-mail;
• said owner computer automatically sending said software and/or data update to said recipient computer, wherein the software and/or data update comprises an email message having one or more files to be updated included as attachment files in the e-mail message and including the unique message ID;
• said recipient computer automatically responding to said software and/or data update by opening the attachment files and updating said software and/or data.