This invention discloses a system for enabling a first software application, which is designed for execution on a first computer platform, to be executed on an incompatible computer platform in which the software application is not intended to execute. A first group of files that are distributed with or are specific to the first software application intended to run on the first computer platform are preferably isolated from other software applications by way of being capsule or encapsulated so as to provide an isolated first group of files; capsule runtime software manages a dynamic state and file location of the isolated first group of files and includes capsule runtime software including a kernel module and application libraries for modifying the behavior of the local operating system residing on the incompatible computer platform, so that execution of the first software application requires access of the isolated first group of files in place of operating system files and providing capsule specific values instead of values related to the identity of the incompatible computer platform.