RELATIVE, LOGICAL PERFORMANCE PARAMETER USER INTERFACE FOR THE SPECIFICATION AND DISPLAY OF PRODUCT WITH CORRESPONDING PHYSICAL PERFORMANCE PARAMETERS

An object-driven application tool allows a Value Added Reseller (VAR) to access a large body of publicly available information about computing devices and to identify the needs of a particular customer or end user and to select an appropriate solution of equipment, hardware, and networking products to meet the customer's needs. Moreover, the tool includes capabilities allowing a VAR to demonstrate to the end user the appropriateness of the solution, for allowing information entry in high level, abstract business-oriented vocabulary rather than a highly technical low level jargon (thus facilitating data entry of information obtained from the end user) and allowing the tool to recognize whether, for example, a slight increase in memory capacity beyond the express needs of the end user may allow a dramatic reduction in requirements for processor speed or non-volatile data storage. The latter tools allow the exemplary embodiment of the present invention to suggest superior solutions over and beyond the express needs of the end user. Selection of a particular solution is generally decoupled from the needs of the end user, which are stored in a separate database; thereafter, as new equipment to obtain on-line information relating to new products and services. Information in the database also includes retrofit information, so that new products can be installed into existing networks.