Abstract: A shell environment may include a mechanism for executing commands on a remote device. The mechanism may retrieve remote commands and command metadata from the remote device and create scripts on a local device that may emulate the remote commands. The scripts may include authentication and other security measures, as well as help information provided by the remote device. The scripts may be grouped as a module and may be stored in a local cache. The cache may be periodically validated and when updates are available, the cache may be updated with new versions.

Abstract: A transponder used in conjunction with a computer software product discourages unauthorized copying. The transponder is attached to or embedded in the computer-readable media (e.g. the CD-ROMs, DVDs) that comes with the product. Before the software product can be installed on a user's computer, the installation software may activate a radio-frequency (RF) device and query the transponder for an identification number. The identification number is associated with the particular copy of the software that the user is attempting to install. The installation software attempts to verify the identification number and, if successful, proceeds with the installation of the software.