System of automatically fetching contents present on network

An information collection system that collects a predetermined electronic program operating on a client from a server connecting with a network, said information collection system comprising:

• an attribute information fetching module that fetches attribute information, which includes information regarding an address of the predetermined program operating on the client on the network and a utilization method of the program operating on the client, from an attribute information server that is present at a known location on the network;
• an address specification module that analyzes the attribute information and specifies the address of the predetermined program;
• and
• a collection module that gains access to the specified address and thereby collects the predetermined program,
• wherein the attribute information includes new address information for specifying a new address of said attribute information providing module at the known location and replacement instruction information that instructs replacement of data in the client with regard to the location of said attribute information server with the new address information, wherein the attribute information, new address information, and replacement instruction information are all included in the same file that is regularly monitored by said system, and
• wherein the system further comprises a replacing module for replacing the data with regard to the location of said attribute information server with the new address information when the attribute information is fetched and the attribute information includes the replacement instruction information.

A method of collecting a predetermined electronic program operating on a client from a server connecting with a network, said method comprising the steps of:

• (a) gaining access to a preset location on the network and fetching attribute information that is stored at the preset location and includes information regarding an address of the predetermined program operating on the client on the network, and information regarding a utilization method of the program operating on the client;
• (b) analyzing the attribute information and specifying the address of the predetermined program;
• and
• (c) accessing the specified address to collect the program,
• wherein the attribute information includes new address information for specifying a new address of said known location at which the attribute information is stored and instruction information that instructs replacement of data in the client with regard to the location of said attribute information server with the new address information, wherein the attribute information, new address information, and replacement instruction information are all included in the same file that is regularly monitored by said system, and
• wherein the method further comprises
• (d) the step of replacing the location of said attribute information with the new address based on the instruction information included in the received attribute information when the attribute information is fetched and the attribute information includes the instruction information.

A recording medium, in which a program for collecting a predetermined electronic program operating on a client from a server connecting with a network is recorded in a computer readable manner, said program causing a computer to attain the functions of:

• fetching attribute information, which includes information with regard to an address of the predetermined program operating on the client on the network, and information regarding a utilization method of the program operating on the client, from a preset location on the network;
• analyzing the attribute information and specifying the address of the program;
• and
• collecting the program from the specified address,
• wherein the attribute information includes new address information for specifying a new address of said known location at which the attribute information is stored and instruction information that instructs replacement of data in the client with regard to the location of said attribute information server with the new address information, wherein the attribute information, new address information, and replacement instruction information are all included in the same file that is regularly monitored by said system, and
• wherein said program further causes the computer to attain the function of
• replacing the location of said attribute information with the new address based on the instruction information included in the received attribute information when the attribute information is fetched and the attribute information includes the instruction information.