Abstract: The present invention provides a computer system and method of controlling such a system, where the system includes an operating system and memory controlled by the operating system. An allocation means is provided which is accessible by a first process and is used to create an object in a first portion of the memory. The system is characterized by a means for designating the first portion of memory as memory to be shared between a plurality of processes and an identification means for indicating to a second process the location of the object in the first portion of memory. Using this technique, instances of objects can be shared between a plurality of processes.

Abstract: A process of software installation over a data processing network is described. New pieces of software being installed over a data processing network require changes to the configuration of the workstation upon which they are being installed. The configuration file associated with the use of the new software being installed specifies the changes to the configuration of the workstation upon which the new software is being installed. This configuration build file is combined with configuration build files associated with the software files already upon the workstation to produce the composite build file. The composite build file is then used to reconfigure the workstation. The process allows for clashes between changes required by each piece of software to be resolved on a priority basis. Configuration change statements within each of the configuration build files can be combined into single configuration change statements.