Abstract: A stool is provided that provides a raised heel squat position to a user that engages the stool. The raised heel squatting position promotes a healthy and productive experience on a toilet. The stool may be collapsible for easier storage and transportation. The stool may be adjustable to provide custom fittings to different size users. Additionally, the stool may be intelligent and may provide a customized immersive experience to a person on a toilet.

Abstract: A stool is provided that provides a raised heel squat position to a user that engages the stool. The raised heel squatting position promotes a healthy and productive experience on a toilet. The stool may be collapsible for easier storage and transportation. The stool may be adjustable to provide custom fittings to different size users. Additionally, the stool may be intelligent and may provide a customized immersive experience to a person on a toilet.

Abstract: A method for creating a group plan for protecting an object located at a production location is provided. A selection of an object for which a group plan is to be created is received along with protection intents for the selected object. The protection intents are translated into a group plan for protecting the selected object.

Abstract: A system and method for providing the ability to repair an installed application program if a resource needed by the application program becomes inadvertently deleted or otherwise unavailable to the application program. Briefly described, the present invention makes possible a system for verifying the existence of a resource needed to support a feature of the application program. The system may respond to a request from the application program to make use of the resource by first verifying the existence of the resource at an expected location. If the resource does not exist at the expected location, rather than returning an error to the application program, the system initiates an installation procedure for restoring the missing resource without interrupting the normal operation of the application program.

Abstract: A method and mechanism for automatically installing software implementations such as applications and COM classes as they are needed from an external source. When a software implementation is needed, the mechanism first looks to the local system (e.g., registry) for that software implementation, and if found, returns the information such as a local path needed to use the software implementation. If the implementation is not found, the mechanism looks to another source, such as a CD-ROM or a centralized class store of a network, to locate the needed implementation. When located, the implementation is downloaded and locally installed from the source, and a local path is returned in a manner that is essentially transparent to the user. Software implementations such as application products may be divided into features and components to improve on-demand installation thereof.

Abstract: A system and method for providing the ability to repair an installed application program if a resource needed by the application program becomes inadvertently deleted or otherwise unavailable to the application program. Briefly described, the present invention makes possible a system for verifying the existence of a resource needed to support a feature of the application program. The system may respond to a request from the application program to make use of the resource by first verifying the existence of the resource at an expected location. If the resource does not exist at the expected location, rather than returning an error to the application program, the system initiates an installation procedure for restoring the missing resource without interrupting the normal operation of the application program.

Abstract: A method and system for advertising software applications by placing application shortcuts on a start menu or desktop and writing entries to the system registry enabling file extension-based activation and Class ID-based activation of those applications, thereby advertising the applications as available even if not installed. In network settings, advertised applications may be assigned to a user via a policy. To this end, an advertising script is stored with a policy associated with computer or user policy recipients, and the advertising script includes assigned application identifier information. One or more scripts are applied, such as to a user at logon or a machine at re-boot. The scripts are processed by an installer mechanism to advertise the application. Applications advertised as available to the user prior to any installation thereof are installed by an installer as needed upon user activation.

Abstract: A system and method for managing locations of software components via a source list. The needed software components are identified. A list of source locations is referenced repeatedly until a valid source location is found or until each source location on the list has been referenced. If a valid source location is found, the software components are retrieved from that source location. New source locations may be added to this list of source locations when the user identifies these new source locations. A list of source locations is continually maintained.