Abstract: A system is provided for the configuration of operations in a network comprising at least a server computer and a respective plurality of client computers connected to each server computer. The system involves the combination of means for interactively prompting a user to make a sequence of data entries, each of said entries being apparently unrelated to computer operations and covering a demographic aspect of the business environment using the network, and means for allocating network computing components and operations among the computers in the network in response to and based upon said user entries. All of the programming resources which are allocated may be found in the server and the algorithms for allocating and distributing are also on the server. The allocation of programs by the server computer is based upon user profiles for each user developed as a result of the data entries made in response to the above-described prompt panels.

Abstract: A network of a server and a plurality of client computers for small businesses which is easy to install, configure and operate and still provides all of the users in the business with the same transparent access to all of their allocated software resources through a same graphical user interface irrespective of which one of the client computers in the network they may sign onto. The operating systems and the application programs to be used on the client computers are loaded on the server. The users have been prompted for the one time input of data required by the server computer to allocate an operating system and application programs for use by each of a plurality of users on each of the plurality of client computers.

Abstract: A system is provided for setting up what is in effect a “plug and play” local area network for small businesses comprising a server computer and a plurality of client computers. The server computer is preloaded with a network operating system, an operating system for each of the client computers and substantially all application programs to be used by the client computers. There is a programmed interactive display interface in the server computer for interactively prompting a user to make a sequence of data entries relative to the computing needs of the client computers and the users of the client computers. The server computer is then physically interconnected with the client computers. Then means in the server computer allocate the client operating systems and the application programs as needed by the user of the client computers based upon the set up resulting from the prompted data entries.