1. A method for managing a user's computing environment on a computer device or workstation, comprising: storing a set of files in a memory device linked to a communications network, each the files comprising data defining a computing environment; providing an environment management engine in a directory accessible by a computer device; operating a processor to run a shell in the computer device, wherein the shell accesses the user home directory and invokes the environment management engine; and running the environment management engine to generate a computing environment in the computer device based on the data defining a computing environment in one of the files in the memory device.