the transmission to and the storage in a customer server computer connected to a network of a plurality of client computers, a Hypertext Markup Language document that includes an embedded program applet for selectively accessing each of the application programs being distributed, and an embedded installation applet for accessing a program for installing the application programs being distributed on said client computers. When a user at one oF the client computers wishes to have one of the application programs installed, the user requests the document, preferably a Web page (i.e. an HTML implemented document), to be displayed, the user selects one of the application programs for installation by clicking on the displayed Web page hyperlink. In response to such a selection, the installation applet is sent to and stored on the client computer that selected said application program.