Patent ID: 8255879
Filing Date: 2012-08-28
Classification: G06F

Abstract:
1. A method for improving a software product, said method comprising: in accordance with a predefined value read from a control file stored at a client site, activating tracking markers inserted at respective functional points of the software product, the predefined value identifying when to activate the tracking markers to initiate a data collection process; after releasing the software product for use at on the client site, collecting through the tracking markers tracking data corresponding to operation of the software product, the tracking data collected during the operation of the software product on a client system located at the client site, the tracking data including data identifying the client site and data identifying customizations or setting applied to the released software product at the client site, the tracking data further identifying an update comprising a software patch that has been applied to the software product since the software product was released by a vendor and installed on the client system at the client site; using the collected tracking data to generate activity records; writing the activity records corresponding to the collected tracking data to the repository; and sending the activity records from the repository to a vendor site for determining improvements to the software product.