Sharing software applications

A server system comprising:

• one or more computing devices each including one or more processors;
• a database stored in a memory;
• and
• at least one application operable by the one or more processors of at least one of the one or more computing devices to:
• receive, from a computing device associated with a first user, a message that includes (1) user association information and (2) an indication of a software application executable by the computing device, wherein the user association information identifies a subset of users;
• publish a post to the subset of users indicated by the user association information, wherein the post is based at least in part on the message;
• receive one or more eligibility criteria;
• receive a request for a version of the software application from a second user who is a member of the subset of users;
• determine that the request for a version of the software application satisfies at least one eligibility criterion of the one or more eligibility criteria;
• determine whether the post was re-shared by a third user;
• responsive to determining that the post was not re-shared by the third user, store, in the database, a referral association between the first user, the second user, and the version of the software application;
• and
• responsive to determining that the post was re-shared by the third user, store, in the database, a referral association between the third user, the second user, and the version of the software application.

A computer-readable storage device comprising instructions that, when executed, cause one or more processors of a server system to perform operations including:

• receiving, by the server system and from a computing device associated with a first user, a message that includes (1) user association information and (2) an indication of a software application executable by the computing device, wherein the user association information identifies a subset of users;
• publishing, by the server system, a post to the subset of users indicated by the user association information, wherein the post is based at least in part on the message;
• receiving, by the server system, a request for a version of the software application from a second user who is a member of the subset of users;
• determining whether the post was re-shared by a third user;
• responsive to determining that the post was not re-shared by the third user, storing, in a database of the server system, a referral association between the first user, the second user, and the version of the software application;
• and
• responsive to determining that the post was re-shared by the third user, storing, in the database, a referral association between the third user, the second user, and the version of the software application.