The present invention provides for the management of user information of both site server and regular web site users. A site server is provided with information stored thereon including preferences, roles, and details related to users. A database separate from the site server is also provided. The database has information stored thereon including preferences, roles, and details relating to the users. An identity of one of the users is authenticated. A single interface is displayed which provides the user access to both the site server and the database upon authentication of the identity of the user. The user is allowed to view and change the information that is stored on the site server and the database and that is associated with the user. The single interface is tailored based on the information associated with the user.

Managing user information on an e-commerce system

A system, method, device, and computer program product for configuring a communications network for a user, including assigning a network identifier to a communications network of a user, the network identifier being unique to an instantiation of the communications network; and automatically generating a plurality of unique network configuration settings for one or more network devices of the communications network based on the network identifier.

Method, system and device for automatically configuring a communications network

A stand-alone icon (i.e., an icon that is not part of an application interface) is provided to facilitate communications across a network between users of at least one communications program. The icon represents a contact or a set of contacts. Status information regarding the contact or set of contacts is received and displayed using the icon or in response to an operation performed on the icon. The icon additionally may provide an interface for performing actions related to the contact or set of contacts. The actions may generally include, for example, retrieving profile information about the contact, setting an alert to indicate that the contact's network/login status (e.g., login, logout, or idle) has changed, or performing communications with the contact.

Facilitating communications between computer users across a network

In one aspect, a network system includes a user interface which allows a user to interact with the network system. An agent server is coupled to the user interface. The agent server manages the operation of the network system. Furthermore, the agent server in conjunction with the user interface is operable to create or modify an agent in response to interaction by the user. In another aspect, a network system includes an agent server which manages the operation of the network system. An agent is operable to utilize a service within the network system. A service wrapper, associated with the service, cooperates with the agent server to mediate interaction between the service and the agent.

Network system extensible by users

An apparatus and method for determining a program neighborhood of a client node in a client-server network is described. The program neighborhood of the client node includes application programs hosted by application servers on the network. The present invention enables a user of a client node to learn of these application programs. The user is not required to know where to find such applications or to manually establish links to such applications. To make the client node aware of its program neighborhood, a host server collects application-related information corresponding to application programs hosted by the servers in the network. The application-related information can include the application name, the server location of the application, minimum capabilities required of client nodes for executing the application, and those users who are authorized to use that application. User credentials are received from the client system. The user credentials are used to filter the application-related information. Information representing those application programs that are available to the client node is transmitted from the host server to the client system for display. In a Windows-based client node, the information can be represented by a graphical icon for each available application program.

An apparatus and method for determining a program neighborhood for a client node in a client-server network

Various services within a computer system are automatically set up as users are added to the system through a directory service (420). A user template (506) is selected that already contains default settings (530-540) for each of the services available on a system such as e-mail and a web service. Various user templates exist and contain different default settings for each available service depending upon the user. Default settings from each service (504) are copied onto a new user form (508). Next, default settings from the selected user template are copied to the new user form and override any conflicting default settings from the services. The default settings from the new user form are used to automatically set up and enable each service for the new user. The data from the new user form is copied into a central account database (300) that contains rows (305) of user information, with columns (314-322) corresponding to a particular service. Each user is automatically enabled for use with available services including an e-mail account and a generated web page. When an individual user then logs on to the computer system, the services available have already been set up for that individual user. If the user has any special privileges such as being an administrator, webmaster, or a postmaster then that user may begin performing that role.

Automatic setup of services for computer system users

Selon cette invention, divers services a l'interieur d'un systeme informatique sont mis en place a mesure que des utilisateurs s'ajoutent audit systeme par le biais d'un service de repertoires (420). On selectionne un modele utilisateur (506) qui contient deja des reglages par defaut (530-540) pour chacun des services disponibles dans un systeme, par exemple, le courrier electronique et le service web. Divers modeles utilisateur existants contiennent differents reglages par defaut qui correspondent a chaque service disponible en fonction de l'utilisateur. Les donnees par defaut provenant de chaque service (504) sont copiees dans un formulaire de nouvel utilisateur (508). Les donnees par defaut provenant du modele utilisateur selectionne sont ensuite copiees dans le formulaire de nouvel utilisateur; elles annulent tout reglage par defaut incompatible en provenance des services. Les reglages par defaut du formulaire de nouvel utilisateur sont utilises pour mettre en place et activer automatiquement chaque service destine au nouvel utilisateur. Les donnees provenant du formulaire de nouvel utilisateur sont copiees dans une base de donnees centrale de comptes (300), qui contient des rangees (305) comportant des informations utilisateur et des colonnes (314-322) correspondant a des services donnes. Chaque utilisateur est automatiquement autorise a utiliser les services disponibles, y compris un compte de courrier electronique et une page web generee. Par la suite, lorsqu'un utilisateur individuel entre dans le systeme informatique, il constate que les services disponibles ont deja ete mis en place a son intention. Si l'utilisateur jouit de privileges propres a son role d'administrateur, de 'webmestre', de 'postmestre' ou autre, il peut alors commencer a exercer ses fonctions.

Bryan Mann

Papers

Automatic setup of services for computer system users

Mise en place automatique de services destines aux utilisateurs d'un systeme informatique