Project extensibility and certification for stacking and support tool

Abstract

A tool is provided for addressing a number of issues related to assembling software stacks including multiple uncoordinated components such as open source projects. The tool identifies individual projects for stacking, manages dependency relationships and provides an intuitive graphical interface to assist a user. A project filter is also provided for controlling access to or installation of projects in accordance with filter criteria. In this manner, compliance with internal policies regarding the use of open source or other software is facilitated. The user can also add projects to the collection of supported projects and define stack macros or stacros. Once such stacros are defined, various functionality can be provided analogous to that provided for individual projects.

1 . A method for use in connection with processing software projects, comprising the steps of: 
 providing a computer based system for performing operations related to identified software projects;    establishing a macro including a plurality of software projects; and    operating said computer-based system to perform at least one of said operations with respect to said macro.    
   
   
       2 . A method set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said operations include one of providing project information, applying searching functionality, implementing synchronization and applying a project filter.  
   
   
       3 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said macro includes at least one open source project.  
   
   
       4 . A method as set forth in  claim 1 , wherein said operations include installing said software projects.  
   
   
       5 . A method for use in connection with processing software projects, comprising the steps of: 
 providing computer based system for performing operations related to stacking for a list of supported projects;    first operating said computer based tool to add a project to said list of supported projects; and    second operating said computer-based tool to perform at least one of said operations with respect to said added project.    
   
   
       6 . A method as set forth in claims  5 , wherein said step of first operating comprises identifying said project.  
   
   
       7 . A method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said step of first operating comprises downloading said project.  
   
   
       8 . A method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said step of first operating comprises obtaining project information for said project.  
   
   
       9 . A method as set forth in  claim 5 , wherein said operations include one of providing project information, applying searching functionality, implementing synchronization and applying a project filter.  
   
   
       10 .- 42 . (canceled)  
   
   
       43 . A system that bundles one or more projects from a variety of sources, wherein each of said one or more projects has an indicator as to the source of the project and wherein a portion of the indicators correspond to software licenses, including: 
 a bundler that receives said one or more projects from said variety of sources and generates a software package therefrom, wherein the project bundler links respective software licenses of said one or more projects with the software package; and    a package certifier communicatively coupled to the project bundler, wherein the package certifier analyzes the software package to determine compatibility of the software package with an intended system destination.    
   
   
       44 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the package certifier includes a test module that verifies the compatibility of the software package with the intended system destination by installing and operating the software package on at least one simulated system.  
   
   
       45 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the intended system destination is one or more of a plurality of system platforms and wherein the bundler configures a software package to install and operate on the system platforms.  
   
   
       46 . The system of  claim 45 , wherein the system platforms include operating systems comprising one of Microsoft Windows, UNIX, Linux, MacOS, Solaris, HPUX and ZOS.  
   
   
       47 . The system of either of claims  44  and  46 , wherein the test module installs and operates the software package on at least one of the operating systems and wherein the test module checks functionality of each of the one or more projects of the software package as the projects run.  
   
   
       48 . The system of  claim 43 , further including a knowledgebase module communicatively coupled to the package certifier and/or the software package to provide technical support during testing of the software package and/or upon installation of the software package with the intended system destination.  
   
   
       49 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the bundler includes an interface that allows for an end user of the software package to input preferences for the one or more projects to be included in the software package.  
   
   
       50 . The system of  claim 49 , wherein the bundler selects the one or more projects for inclusion with the software package based on the preferences from the end-user, wherein the one or more projects are selected from open-source providers, proprietary source providers, and software providers with no license requirements.  
   
   
       51 . The system of  claim 50 , when the bundler further performs the license verification of selected said one or more projects to determine whether the licenses of the projects have changed.  
   
   
       52 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the package certifier includes a communication interface to deliver the software package to the intended system destination, wherein the communication interface communicates to the end-user with any of the following exemplary communications: Internet, serial indications, parallel communications, radio communications, etc.  
   
   
       53 . The system of  claim 43 , wherein the bundler normalizes the one or more projects for inclusion with the software package.  
   
   
       54 . The system of  claim 53 , wherein the bundler builds a configuration file as part of the normalization process according to an operating system for which the software package is intended to operate with.  
   
   
       55 .- 65 . (canceled)