Auto Check for Program Update - Design Query

[newora]

I wish to place an option into my developed application, like most apps have nowadays, to check for the availability of an updated version of the software.

I am really after some basic information as to how people have done this.

My initial thought would be to have a file on an FTP site and check it contents and if it have a higher number in it then the current application version number, to download, via FTP an updated installer and then spawn this off to ruin the actual install (mabe via a stub program).

Any comments / suggestions would be most welcome.

Thanks