Method, apparatus and computer program product for deploying software via post-load images

1. An apparatus for deploying software, comprising:

a processor;

a memory for storing program instructions executable by the processor to perform the steps of:

providing a Web site on a first computer system coupled to a network for presenting users with an interface, wherein the users include purchasers;

receiving from the user a selection of software applications for deploying to a target computer system;

receiving from a user a selection of hardware for the target computer system and responsively determining what drivers correspond to the selected hardware, wherein the first computer system has a pre-built array of post-load images stored thereon for combinations of hardware and the software applications that the user may select, the post-load images being substantially identical to respective images resulting on a target computer system hard drive from an installation process of corresponding pre-load images, so that the respective post-load images include software application configuration information, files from the corresponding pre-load images, and links to drivers for hardware of the target computer system;

selecting a certain one of the pre-built images by the first computer system responsive to the received user selections, wherein the selected image has the software applications selected by the user and the drivers for the hardware selected by the user; and

receiving a first order from the user for the certain image of the selected software applications deployable to the target computer system hardware, including a selection by the user of a method for delivery of the selected image;

sending the selected image, the image sent being limited to the selected pre-built, post-load image;

maintaining a record of the order for the software applications and drivers included in the certain image that is sent, wherein the record is associated with an order identifier and user identifier;

receiving a second order for the user, including the user or order identifier; retrieving the record for the first order responsive to the user or order identifier; and

presenting, responsive to the user or order identifier, a list of suggested software programs for the second order in addition to those of the first order.

2. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the sending of the loading utility with the selected image further includes sending the loading utility on bootable media, and wherein the utility further includes instructions for causing the target computer system to transfer the image to a hard drive of the target computer system responsive to the target computer system booting to the utility on the bootable media when the target computer system is turned on.

3. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to perform the further steps of:

presenting a list of the software applications and drivers included in the certain image that was sent for the first order; and

receiving a selection indicating ones of the software applications of the first order to update for the second order or indicating software programs for the second order in addition to those of the first order.

4. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to perform the further steps of:

presenting, responsive to the user or order identifier, a list of suggested updates for the software programs of the first order.

5. The apparatus of claim 1 , wherein the program instructions are executable by the processor to perform the further steps of:

receiving user information that informs the computer system about needs of the user;

maintaining a profile of the user, wherein the profile is associated with the user identifier and the received user information; and

presenting, responsive to the user information, a list of suggested updates for the software programs of the first order or a list of suggested software programs for the second order in addition to those of the first order.

6. A computer program product, stored on a recordable-type computer readable medium, for deploying software, said computer program product having instructions for execution by a computer, wherein the instructions cause the computer to implement a method when executed by the computer, the computer program product comprising:

instructions for providing a Web site on a first computer system coupled to a network for presenting users with an interface, wherein the users include purchasers;

instructions for receiving from a user a selection of software applications for deploying to a target computer system;

instructions for receiving from the user a selection of hardware for the target computer system and responsively determining what drivers correspond to the selected hardware, wherein the first computer system has a pre-built array of post-load images stored thereon for combinations of hardware and the software applications that the user may select, the respective post-load images being substantially identical to images resulting on a target computer system hard drive from an installation process of corresponding pre-load images, so that the respective post-load images include software application configuration information, files from the corresponding pre-load images, and links to drivers for hardware of the target computer system;

instructions for selecting a certain one of the pre-built images by the first computer system responsive to the received user selections, wherein the selected image has the software applications selected by the user and the drivers for the hardware selected by the user; and

instructions for receiving a first order from the user for the certain image of the selected software applications deployable to the target computer system hardware, including a selection by the user of a method for delivery of the selected image; instructions for sending the selected image, the image sent being limited to the selected pre-built, post-load image;

instructions for maintaining a record of the order for the software application and drivers included in the certain image that is sent, wherein the record is associated with an order identifier and user identifier;

instructions for receiving a second order for the user, including the user or order identifier;

instructions for retrieving the record for the first order responsive to the user or order identifier; and

instructions for presenting, responsive to the user or order identifier, a list of suggested software program for the second order in addition to those of the first order.

7. The computer program product of claim 6 , wherein the sending of the loading utility with the selected image further includes sending the loading utility on bootable media, and wherein the utility further includes instructions for causing the target computer system to transfer the image to a hard drive of the target computer system responsive to the target computer system booting to the utility on the bootable media when the target computer system is turned on.

8. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:

instructions for presenting a list of the software applications and drivers included in the certain image that was sent for the first order; and

instructions for receiving a selection indicating ones of the software applications of the first order to update for the second order or indicating software programs for the second order in addition to those of the first order.

9. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:

instructions for presenting, responsive to the user or order identifier, a list of suggested updates for the software programs of the first order.

10. The computer program product of claim 6 , further comprising:

instructions for receiving user information that informs the computer system about needs of the user;

instructions for maintaining a profile of the user, wherein the profile is associated with the user identifier and the received user information; and

instructions for presenting, responsive to the user information, a list of suggested updates for the software programs of the first order or a list of suggested software programs for the second order in addition to those of the first order.