METHOD AND A MECHANISM FOR SYNCHRONISED UPDATING OF INTEROPERATING SOFTWARE

Provided is a method and mechanism for automatic updating of computer programs and synchronising updates of computer programs and their pre-requisite programs to maintain interoperability. Conventionally, computer programs have been distributed on a recording medium for users to install on their computer systems. Each time fixes, additions and new versions for the programs were developed, a new CD or diskette was required to be delivered to users to enable them to install the update. More recently some software has been downloadable across a network, but the effort for users obtaining and installing updates and the effort for software vendors to distribute updates remains undesirable. The invention provides an updater agent which is associated with a computer program and which accesses relevant network locations and automatically downloads and installs any available updates to its associated program if those updates satisfy predefined update criteria of the updater agent. The updater agents are able to communicate with each other and the update process include the updater agent of a first computer program determining whether pre-requisite programs require updating to maintain interoperability and then requesting updates to the first program's pre-requisites programs when required.