Patent ID: 7194730

Claim:
A method of configuring software, the method comprising the steps of: utilizing a common software configuration markup language in one or more integrated computer systems of a digital communication network, the one or more integrated computer systems comprising at least one server which is connected to a plurality of client computers, the server having a memory for storing product elements which may be linked together to form at least one version of a software package, and further for storing processes usable by the clients to at least one of maintain the product elements and develop new product elements, and tools usable by the clients to at least one of define, maintain and update relations between product elements; wherein the common software configuration markup language is useable by a cooperating team on the plurality of client computers to define a project, perform a memory access to at least one of product elements and packages, map one or more of the processes and tools to one or more library systems, and define relations between the product elements, allowing for platform independent editing of product elements at individual client computers in at least one language independent of the common software configuration markup language to form different versions of a software package.