Abstract: Localizing a software product is improved. A plurality of attributes of a plurality of interface elements according to a specified type of user interface are retrieved. Responsive to user input, one or more countries in which the software product is to be localized are specified. An interface element for the user interface is selected. From the attributes of the selected interface element, it is determined whether the interface element is consistent with the specified countries. If not, an alert on a computer display is displayed, in the event the selected interface element is not consistent with the countries specified by the user. The invention also calculates a cost of localizing the selected interface element, wherein the projected cost of localizing the user interface is incremented with the cost of localizing the selected interface element. An alert for the projected cost of localizing the user interface is displayed on the computer display.

Abstract: An incompatibility problem during a virtual environment migration from a first host to a second host can be addressed by changing a configuration of the virtual environment and/or by migrating the virtual environment to a host other than the second host. A migration advisor module is configured to take such action automatically upon detection of the incompatibility problem. Alternatively, the migration advisor module may take such action with assistance and/or input from an operator. The migration advisor module can change the configuration of the virtual environment by removing unnecessary components of the virtual environment and causing the reconfigured virtual environment to be migrated to the second host. Alternatively, the migration advisor module can cause the virtual environment to be migrated to a third host with sufficient physical system resources to meet the requirements of the virtual environment.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for context-sensitive exchange of electronic information, is provided. One implementation involves maintaining multiple signatures for a sender; associating each signature with a recipient address or communication content pattern described based on a rule; sending an electronic communication to a recipient address by automatically selecting a most appropriate signature among the multiple signatures based on the recipient address or content pattern in the communication; and including the selected signature in the electronic communication.

Abstract: A method is presented for managing resource licensing. The method may include detecting an installed web server and/or application server to identify a container installation path, and identifying a resource associated with the container installation path. A resource installation path and a licensing structure may be determined for the resource. The method may further include building an application representation associating the resource installation path with the licensing structure, and determining the instances of resource use. The instances of resource use may be compared to the application representation to determine a licensing state for the resource.

Abstract: A method and system provides for notification of a called party of an incoming voice phone call intended for the called party even while the called party is engaged in data communications via a dial-up modem. In response to a calling party placing a call, a telecommunications network determining whether the called number is busy. If the called number is busy, the telecommunications network determines whether the called number is engaged in data communications. If the called number is engaged in data communications, the telecommunications network further: determines a data communication protocol being used by the called party to access the data network via a modem device, retrieves from a user profile of the called party one or more user notification addresses associated with the data communication protocol, and transmits an incoming call notification message to the one or more user notification addresses of the called party.

Abstract: An allergy prevention method and system. The method includes retrieving, by a computing system from a fidelity card, a user profile comprising information specifying first elements known to cause a user to have an allergic reaction. The computing system retrieves data associated with an item for purchase. The data comprises information specifying second elements comprised by the item. The computing system compares the first elements to the second elements to determine that a first element of the first elements matches a second element of the second elements. The computing system generates and presents to the user, a warning indicating that the first item may cause the user to have an allergic reaction.

Abstract: Methods, computer program products and systems for protecting a document from access by one or more users based on one or more document access rules. In one embodiment, the method includes creating a data set representing the one or more document access rules, storing the document and the associated data set, determining and storing a key for opening the document when one or more document access rules from the data set are met, and releasing the key to open the document to one or more users in response to a request from a user which meets one or more document access rules, thereby enabling the user to access the document.

Abstract: A method and a corresponding system and computer-usable medium for discovering software products on a plurality of one or more computers. The discovering method, system and/or computer-usable medium can populate a software catalogue without the manual intervention of an administrator. Such an approach reduces the cost of producing and maintaining a comprehensive knowledge base (e.g., the catalogue), which contains definitions of software products and the related signature. Signature definitions combine information obtained by the data gathering process and information contained in the registries. This combination allows the creation of a robust signature which reduces to a great extent the possibilities of both “false positive” and “false negative” results.

Abstract: The capabilities of a collaboration messaging system are extended through so that a user can be contacted, or at least notified of incoming messages, when the user is away from his own messaging client computer but is near another messaging client computer. The proximity of a user to a messaging client computer other than his own is inferred from the detection of a wireless communications device (e.g., a Bluetooth-enabled cellular phone) associated to the user. The association is recorded in a user profile set up by the user and stored in the collaboration messaging system. If a wireless communications device is detected proximate to a messaging client computer, a search is made of stored user profiles, each of which associates a particular wireless communication with a particular user. If a profile exists for the detected wireless communication device, it is retrieved and a set of actions defined in the user profile is implemented.

Abstract: Monitoring road surface conditions using a mobile computer unit carried by a vehicle operating on a road network and adapted to detect information about the road surface conditions. The detection may be done by means of bump sensors which may also provide information on the size and the depth of the bump according to a detected shock with respect to the vehicle speed. Such information may then be transmitted to a central controller server. The central server may use the collected information for several purposes, such as help in planning maintenance of the road network; forwarded to users and vehicles for journey planning purposes; and to deviate traffic in case of extreme surface damage.

Abstract: A method is presented for managing user preferences upon reading a multimedia article. The method may include receiving a request to read the multimedia article, and reading a RFID tag coupled to the multimedia article. The RFID tag may store user preference information for reading the multimedia article. The user preference information may then be applied, and the multimedia article may be read in accordance with the user preference information.

Abstract: A vehicle-mountable system is provided for monitoring road surface defects. The system may include a detector to detect a surface defect in a road surface along which a vehicle is traveling. A positioning system may determine an instant location of the vehicle, and a repository may store a location of the surface defect with reference to the instant location. A controller unit may receive and compare the instant location with the location of the surface defect to identify an imminent surface defect encounter. The controller unit may also identify guidance instructions to minimize an effect of the imminent surface defect encounter. Finally, an interface may relay the guidance instructions to the vehicle.

Abstract: A method is described for performing system management operations on at least one target endpoint data processing apparatus (110a, 110b) of a distributed data processing system (100) including a system management server (120) adapted to the centralized system management of the endpoints of the distributed data processing system. The method comprises: at the system management server, receiving a system management activities plan including at least one system management activity to be performed on the at least one target endpoint; having the system management server executing the system management activities plan, wherein the executing the plan includes performing the at least one system management activity.

Abstract: A software distribution method (300b) and a corresponding system are proposed. In a software distribution application, packages including instructions specifying the actions to be carried out on each target computer for installing or removing selected software products are prepared in a central site; typically, the actions are conditioned to a hardware configuration of the target computer. Each package is transmitted to the target computer, and the corresponding instructions are interpreted so as to enforce the desired software products meeting the current configuration of the target computer. In the solution of the invention, the configuration of the target computer is monitored to detect (337) any hardware upgrade. In response thereto, the target computer generates (339-351) a list of actions for removing software products not meeting the new configuration any longer and a list of action for installing software products now meeting the new configuration.

Abstract: A method is presented for monitoring software product usage in a data processing system. The method may include installing an instance of a software product on a target entity of a data processing system. A usage condition applicable to the instance may be identified. Reconciliation information may be generated upon installation of the instance. This reconciliation information may correlate the usage condition with the instance to facilitate later determining compliance of the software product with applicable usage conditions.

Abstract: A method is presented for deploying a component onto a production computer system. The method may include identifying one or more alterations associated with deployment of a first application onto a first computer system, where the first application on the first computer system is substantially similar to a second application on a second computer system. Embodiments may further include generating a command and an object corresponding to the alteration, where the command and the object are generated as a function of the first application. The alteration may then be replicated on the second application of the second computer system by executing the command and the object on the second computer system.

Abstract: A method is presented for executing complex operations. The method may include providing basic packages that include execution instructions for at least partially executing a complex operation. Each basic package may also include combination instructions for combining the execution instructions with execution instructions of another basic package. Several basic packages may be selected. The complex operation may then be executed according to the execution instructions and the combination instructions associated with the selected basic packages.

Abstract: A method for managing resources in a resource management system in accordance with certain embodiments may include providing a retrieval statement for retrieving management information relating to a set of selected resources. The management information may be retrieved according to the retrieval statement. Context information relating to one or more resources of the set may be retrieved according to the corresponding management information. One or more requests for additional information relating to the resource may be generated according to the context information. The requests for additional information may then be submitted to an information source.

Abstract: Building a package for installing a software application on a data processing system with a distributed architecture is provided. The installation package is built using an authoring tool based on a declarative model. A descriptor is used to define a desired configuration of the system The installation package is built declaring a discoverer element, a producer element and a consumer element into the wizard tree. During the installation process, the discoverer element detects a current configuration of the system. The producer creates a working queue dynamically, inserting the installation operations that are needed for reaching the desired configuration from the current configuration of the system. The producer then executes the installation operations defined in the working queue. In this way, the installation operations are determined at runtime.

Abstract: A heterogeneous environment having applications and application enablers operating on application servers organized as a cluster is managed. The application servers are managed by a cluster management application. A system management application permits access to computing performance data provided by an operating system and reported to the system management application. Performance data of the applications and application enablers is collected from an application agent through the application servers. Topology information regarding the application servers is collected via the cluster management application. The performance data and the topology information are retrieved and sent to the system management application. Access to the performance data via the system management application is permitted. The system management application links to the computing performance data using the topology information.