Patent ID: 7661089

Claim:
A method for use in assembling into a package multiple discrete software applications that are separately available from independent sources and that include at least one open source software application, comprising the steps of: first operating a computer based tool to receive user input information regarding a first software application for inclusion in a package of interest, wherein said input information includes one of a description, function, and name associated with said first software application, and wherein said package of interest comprises two or more software applications that share one or more logical resources or are configured for cooperative and dependent operation; second operating said computer based tool, responsive to said input information, to determine at least a first characteristic of said first software application of said package of interest, wherein said first characteristic identifies a related second software application for inclusion in said package of interest, and wherein said second software application has a vertical dependency relationship with said first software application, wherein at least one of said first and second software applications is an open source software application; and third operating said computer based tool, based on said first characteristic, to output information regarding said second software application of said packages wherein said third operating comprises providing said output information regarding an assembly of said first and second software applications, and said computer based tool is further operative to repeat said steps of second and third operating until all software applications required of said package of interest are identified.