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In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a modular application collaborator for providing inter-operability between applications including a plurality of connectors for communicating with a like plurality of applications and an interchange server. The interchange server includes an applicat

In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a modular application collaborator for providing inter-operability between applications including a plurality of connectors for communicating with a like plurality of applications and an interchange server. The interchange server includes an application collaboration module and service module. The service module transfers messages between connectors and the application collaboration module. The application collaboration defines the inter-operability between two or more applications. The interchange server service module includes a transaction service and an error service. Transactions are executed in the application collaboration module and the transaction service records each action and a compensating action for undoing an associated action. An error service monitors for errors in the interchange server, and, upon detection of an error, stops the execution of a transaction and initiates the execution of any required compensating actions to undo the interrupted transaction. The compensating transactions may be executed at the connectors and are not required to be overseen by the interchange server.

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In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a modular application collaborator for providing inter-operability between applications including a plurality of connectors for communicating with a like plurality of applications and an interchange server. The interchange server includes an applicat

In general, in one aspect, the invention provides a modular application collaborator for providing inter-operability between applications including a plurality of connectors for communicating with a like plurality of applications and an interchange server. The interchange server includes an application collaboration module and service module. The service module transfers messages between connectors and the application collaboration module. The application collaboration defines the inter-operability between two or more applications. The interchange server service module includes a transaction service and an error service. Transactions are executed in the application collaboration module and the transaction service records each action and a compensating action for undoing an associated action. An error service monitors for errors in the interchange server, and, upon detection of an error, stops the execution of a transaction and initiates the execution of any required compensating actions to undo the interrupted transaction. The compensating transactions may be executed at the connectors and are not required to be overseen by the interchange server. circuitry configured to configure the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry comprises: non-volatile memory circuitry configured to store data usable to configure the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry. 7. The integrated circuit defined in claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured to configure the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry comprises: circuitry configured to connect the integrated circuit to an external source of data usable to configure the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry. 8. The integrated circuit defined in claim 7 wherein the circuitry configured to connect the integrated circuit to an external source of data usable to configure the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry comprises: hard-wired communications port circuitry. 9. The integrated circuit defined in claim 8 wherein the hard-wired communications port circuitry is configured to direct the connection to any of a plurality of external sources of data for configuring the programmable logic circuitry.10. The integrated circuit defined in claim 8 wherein the hard-wired communications port circuitry comprises: UART circuitry. 11. The integrated circuit defined in claim 1 wherein the circuitry configured to initiate a connection comprises: microprocessor circuitry. 12. The integrated circuitry defined in claim 11 wherein the circuitry configured to initiate a connection further comprises: non-volatile memory circuitry configured to store software for booting operation of the microprocessor circuitry. 13. The integrated circuit defined in claim 1 further comprising: re-writable memory circuitry configured to store data received from the external source. 14. The integrated circuit defined in claim 13 further comprising: microprocessor circuitry configured to modify data stored in the re-writable memory circuitry for use in configuring the programmable logic circuitry. 15. The integrated circuit defined in claim 14 wherein the microprocessor circuitry is configured to decompress the data stored in the re-writable memory circuitry.16. The integrated circuit defined in claim 14 wherein the microprocessor circuitry is configured to decrypt the data stored in the re-writable memory circuitry.17. A digital processing system comprising: processing circuitry; a memory coupled to the processing circuitry; and an integrated circuit as defined in claim 1 coupled to the processing circuitry and the memory.18. A printed circuit board on which is mounted an integrated circuit as defined in claim 1.19. The printed circuit board defined in claim 18 further comprising: a memory mounted on the printed circuit board and coupled to the integrated circuit. 20. The printed circuit board defined in claim 18 further comprising: processing circuitry mounted on the printed circuit board and coupled to the integrated circuit. 21. A method of operating a single integrated circuit chip that includes programmable logic circuitry and control circuitry comprising: operating the control circuitry to establish a connection between the integrated circuit chip and an external source of data for use in configuring the programmable logic circuitry; using the connection to allow the integrated circuit chip to receive the data; using the data to configure the programmable logic circuitry; wherein the operating comprises: configuring the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry; andcontrolling the programmable logic circuitry to establish the connection via the programmable logic circuitry functioning as communications port circuitry.22. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the operating comprises: selecting the external source from a plurality of external sources; and using the control circuitry to establish the connection to the external so urce selected in the selecting. 23. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the operating comprises: retrieving booting software for the control circuitry from a booting software source. 24. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the data is received in compressed form and wherein the using the data to configure the programmable logic circuitry comprises: storing the compressed-form data in re-writable memory circuitry which is part of the integrated circuit; and further operating the control circuitry to decompress the compressed-form data for use in configuring the programmable logic circuitry. 25. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the data is received in encrypted form and wherein the using the data to configure the programmable logic circuitry comprises: storing the encrypted-form data in re-writable memory circuitry which is part of the integrated circuit; and further operating the control circuitry to decrypt the encrypted-form data for use in configuring the programmable logic circuitry. 26. The method defined in claim 21 wherein the operating comprises: controlling hard-wired communications port circuitry which is part of the integrated circuit to establish the connection via the hard-wired communications port circuitry. 27. The method defined in claim 26 wherein the configuring comprises: retrieving data for configuring the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry from non-volatile memory circuitry which is part of the integrated circuit; and installing the data for configuring the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry in the programmable logic circuitry. 28. The method defined in claim 22 wherein the configuring comprises: retrieving data for configuring the programmable logic circuitry to function as communications port circuitry from an external supply of such data; and installing the data thus retrieved in the programmable logic circuitry. 29. The method defined in claim 28 wherein the retrieving comprises: selecting the external supply from a plurality of external supplies; and using the control circuitry to establish a connection to the external supply selected in the selecting. 30. The method defined in claim 28 wherein the retrieving comprises: controlling hard-wired communications port circuitry which is part of the integrated circuit to establish a connection to the external supply via the hard-wired communications port. 31. The method defined in claim 28 wherein the data retrieved in the retrieving is in compressed form, and wherein the installing comprises: storing the compressed-form data in re-writable memory circuitry which is part of the integrated circuit; and further operating the control circuitry to decompress the compressed-form data for installation in the programmable logic circuitry. 32. The method defined in claim 28 wherein the data retrieved in the retrieving is in encrypted form, and wherein the installing comprises: storing the encrypted-form data in re-writable memory circuitry which is part of the integrated circuit; and further operating the control circuitry to decrypt the encrypted-form data for installation in the programmable logic circuitry. 33. The method defined in claim 21 further comprising: further operating the control circuitry to establish a further connection between the integrated circuit and an external supply of further data for use in differently configuring the programmable logic circuitry; using the further connection to allow the integrated circuit to receive the further data; and using the further data to differently configure the programmable logic circuitry. 34. The method defined in claim 33 wherein the further operating comprises: selecting the external supply from a plurality of external supplies; and using the control circuitry to establish the connection to the external supply selected in the selecting. 35. An integrated circuit com