System and method for configuring personal systems

A method for configuring a computer system, comprising the steps of:

• building a customized migration file containing user configuration information in an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• loading said customized migration file and a configuration tool on said computer system;
• and
• executing said configuration tool against said customized migration file to configure said computer system.

A system for configuring a computer system with respect to one or more applications, comprising:

• a memory;
• an export file including an intermediate configuration data file for storing user configuration data in system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• and
• embodied in a computer readable medium for each application of said one or more applications,
• an installed method for determining if said application is installed on said system;
• a load_data method for loading configuration data for said application into said memory;
• an import_data method for replacing configuration data in said memory with configuration data held in said export file;
• and
• an export_data method for writing configuration data from said memory to said export file.

An interactive method for configuring a workstation with respect to at least one application of a plurality of supported applications, comprising the steps of:

• a) building a list of active applications;
• b) loading into memory application data for each said active application;
• c) presenting configuration dialogs to a user for allowing said user to select to enter, import, or export configuration data;
• d) responsive to said user selecting import configuration data, executing an import method for each said active application to generate first updated configuration data in an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• and
• e) responsive to said user selecting export configuration data, executing an export method for each said active application.

A method for configuring a computer system by migrating configuration data for at least one of one or more supported applications from a workstation to temporary backup on a network, comprising the steps of:

• providing for each said supported application an installed method, a load_data method, an export method, and a migrate_to method;
• executing said installed method for each said supported application to identify active applications on said workstation;
• executing said load_data method for each said active application to load application data into memory for each said active application;
• executing said export method for each said active application to export to an export file said application data for each said active application, said export file comprising an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• and
• executing said migrate_to method for each said active application to migrate to said temporary backup application files for each said active application.

A method for configuring a computer system by migrating configuration data from an existing machine to a workstation, comprising the steps of:

• providing for each said supported application an installed method, a load_data method, an import method, and a migrate_from method;
• executing said installed method for each said supported application to identify active applications on said workstation;
• executing said load_data method for each said active application to load application data into memory for each said active application;
• executing said import method for each said active application to import from an import/export file said application data for each said active application, said import/export file comprising an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• and
• executing said migrate_from method for each said active application to migrate from backup application files for each said active application.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for interactive method for configuring a workstation with respect to at least one application of a plurality of supported applications, said method steps comprising:

• a) building a list of active applications;
• b) loading into memory application data for each said active application;
• c) presenting configuration dialogs to a user for allowing said user to select to enter, import, or export configuration data through an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in a system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• d) responsive to said user selecting import configuration data, executing an import method for each said active application to generate first updated configuration data;
• and
• e) responsive to said user selecting export configuration data, executing an export method for each said active application.

An article of manufacture comprising:

• a computer useable medium having computer readable program code means embodied therein for interactive method for configuring a workstation with respect to at least one application of a plurality of supported applications, the computer readable program means in said article of manufacture comprising:
• a) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect building a list of active applications;
• b) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect loading into memory application data for each said active application;
• c) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect presenting configuration dialogs to a user for allowing said user to select to enter, import, or export configuration data with respect to an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• d) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect responsive to said user selecting import configuration data, executing an import method for each said active application to generate first updated configuration data;
• and
• e) computer readable program code means for causing a computer to effect responsive to said user selecting export configuration data, executing an export method for each said active application.

A computer program product or computer program element embodied in a computer readable medium configured to be operable for performing steps comprising:

• a) building a list of active applications;
• b) loading into memory application data for each said active application;
• c) presenting configuration dialogs to a user for allowing said user to select to enter, import, or export configuration data with respect to an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in a system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• d) responsive to said user selecting import configuration data, executing an import method for each said active application to generate first updated configuration data;
• and
• e) responsive to said user selecting export configuration data, executing an export method for each said active application.

A program storage device readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by a machine to perform method steps for configuring a workstation with respect to at least one application of a plurality of supported applications, said method steps comprising:

• providing for each said supported application an installed method, a load_data method, an import method, and a migrate_from method;
• executing said installed method for each said supported application to identify active applications on said workstation;
• executing said load_data method for each said active application to load application data into memory for each said active application;
• executing said import method for each said active application to import from an import/export file said application data for each said active application, said import/export file comprising an intermediate configuration data file storing user configuration data in system neutral format comprising human readable characters;
• and
• executing said migrate_from method for each said active application to migrate from backup application files for each said active application.