Web-based design of software for keep-alive boards

1. A method for electronically providing customized software to a customer, comprising the steps of:

receiving a customer specification through a web interface;

automatically creating customer compatible software that meets the customer specification; and

electronically providing the customer compatible software to the customer, wherein the customer compatible software is a customer compatible executable that is compiled from pre-existing source code that is modified to include customer specific messages provided by the customer in the customer specification.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the receiving the customer specification step further includes the steps of:

checking the customer specification for input errors; and

prompting the customer to correct any detected errors before proceeding.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the customer specification is checked for input errors by a JavaScript preprocessor.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the creating software that meets the customer specification step further includes the steps of:

creating a specification file based on the received customer specification using a common gateway interface (CGI) program; and

creating the customer compatible executable based upon the specification file.

5. The method of claim 4 , wherein the creating the customer compatible executable step further includes the steps of:

selecting generic source code based on the specification file;

modifying the generic source code based on the specification file;

compiling the modified generic source code;

linking the compiled modified generic source code to create an intermediate executable; and

converting the intermediate executable to the customer compatible executable.

6. The method of claim 4 , wherein the CGI program is written in Perl.

7. The method of claim 1 , further including the step of:

electronically providing documentation for the customer compatible software to the customer, wherein a supplier can recreate the customer compatible software from the documentation.

8. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer provides the customer specification by accessing a supplier web page and completing a form provided through the web interface.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein the customer compatible software is a keep-alive.

10. A web-based software delivery system for electronically providing customized software to a customer, comprising:

a web server; and

software design code located on the web server for performing the steps of:

receiving a customer specification through a web interface;

creating customer compatible software that meets the customer specification; and

electronically providing the customer compatible software to the customer, wherein the customer compatible software is a customer compatible executable that is compiled from preexisting source code that is modified to include customer specific messages provided by the customer in the customer specification.

11. The web-based software delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the receiving the customer specification step further includes the steps of:

checking the customer specification for input errors; and

prompting the customer to correct any detected errors before proceeding.

12. The web-based software delivery system of claim 11 , wherein the customer specification is checked for input errors by a JavaScript preprocessor.

13. The web-based software delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the creating software that meets the customer specification step further includes the steps of:

creating a specification file based on the received customer specification using a common gateway interface (CGI) program; and

creating the customer compatible executable based upon the specification file.

14. The web-based software delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the creating the customer compatible executable step further includes the steps of:

selecting generic source code based on the specification file;

modifying the generic source code based on the specification file;

compiling the modified generic source code;

linking the modified generic source code to create an intermediate executable; and

converting the intermediate executable to the customer compatible executable.

15. The web-based software delivery system of claim 13 , wherein the CGI program is written in Perl.

16. The web-based software delivery system of claim 10 , the software design code performing the additional step of:

electronically providing documentation for the customer compatible software to the customer, wherein a supplier can recreate the customer compatible software from the documentation.

17. The web-based software delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the customer provides the customer specification by accessing a supplier web page and completing a form provided through the web interface.

18. The web-based software delivery system of claim 10 , wherein the customer compatible software is a keep-alive.

19. A web-based software delivery system for electronically providing customized keep-alive software to an automotive electronic production testing site customer, comprising:

a web server; and

software design code located on the web server for performing the steps of:

receiving a customer specification through a web interface;

creating customer compatible keep-alive software that meets the customer specification; and

electronically providing the customer compatible keep-alive software to the customer, wherein the customer compatible keep-alive software is a customer compatible executable that is compiled from preexisting source code that is modified to include customer specific messages provided by the customer in the customer specification.

20. The web-based software delivery system of claim 19 , wherein the receiving the customer specification step further includes the steps of:

checking the customer specification for input errors; and

prompting the customer to correct any detected errors before proceeding.