A system for downloading different versions of software or data modules into a plurality of terminals having different compatibility interfaces including an authoring component for generating the different module versions (201), a downloading source including a descriptor table which associates each module version with a list of compatibility requirements needed to download the module (202), and a plurality of terminals coupled to the downloading source (202, 203). The downloading source transmits the descriptor table to each terminal and also continuously tranmsits the modules over the network. Each terminal extracts the descriptor table and, based on a match between an entry in the descriptor table and an internally stored table, determines which version of the softw are should be downloaded.