Abstract: A novel application and user interface for facilitating group interactions over a network integrates messaging, file sharing, media playing, journaling, profiles, and gaming into a cohesive environment. The groups facilitated by the invention are persistent and mobile in that a user does not have to recollect and reconfigure the group each time he or she wants to interact with the group online and, while online, the group may be taken from one activity to another without having to disband and reconnect at the second activity. The application is modular so as to be extensible to include other activities and functionalities. In an embodiment, the group interaction application utilizes a peer-to-peer network environment to facilitate network communications between group members.

Abstract: A communication icon represents a shared connection allowing members of an online group to interact with each other and participate in different activities together. The icon through which the group interacts resides on each group member's desktop and has many attributes including click activation modes and drag and drop functionality. The icon provides each group member with a representation of the group's shared relationship. Any group member can change the group icon and have that change propagated to the computers of the other members of the group. The icon can be activated for both non-verbal and verbal communications as well as activity sharing. Online members of the group are kept apprised of the group's status and activities via a displayed status bar.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling mobile shared group interaction are described. Members of a group may access, through a user interface, group activities that provide a shared, synchronous, interactive experience. An interface may be provided via a mobile device such as a cellular telephone that enables members who are mobile to participate in group activities with other members who are also mobile or who are logged on via a non-mobile device such as a desktop computer system.

Abstract: A novel application and user interface for facilitating group interactions over a network integrates messaging, file sharing, media playing, journaling, profiles, and gaming into a cohesive environment. The groups facilitated by the invention are persistent and mobile in that a user does not have to recollect and reconfigure the group each time he or she wants to interact with the group online and, while online, the group may be taken from one activity to another without having to disband and reconnect at the second activity. The application is modular so as to be extensible to include other activities and functionalities. In an embodiment, the group interaction application utilizes a peer-to-peer network environment to facilitate network communications between group members.

Abstract: A novel virtual calling card system and method aid in the formation of online relationships, serving as an introduction tool and as a contact mechanism. The calling card is an exchangeable entity that is automatically updated, ensuring that the recipient or viewer sees the most current version of the card. The card may display an aspect ratio that is the same as that of a traditional business card, and has front side and a reverse side. Furthermore, the card provides a number of avenues for the card owner to express themselves, including an array of affiliation symbols, a most recent mood symbol, and a text field. The reverse side of the card can display a representation of the owner's social network, so that recipients of the card may identify common friends and associates. Thus, the server-based card exchange appears to users as an exchange in the physical world.

Abstract: A backup system has a set of temporary backup data stored on a data storage system. When performing a backup operation for a device over a network, a block of data on the device may be compared to blocks of the temporary backup data. If the block of data already exists on the backup system in the temporary backup data, the block of data is not transferred over the network. Comparisons between blocks of data may be performed by calculating and comparing a hash value for the blocks.

Abstract: Described is a headless server appliance configured with a secondary actuation mechanism that when actuated, enters the headless server appliance into a diagnostic mode. For example, the diagnostic mode may correspond to a secondary operating system booted from a BIOS component activated by the secondary actuation mechanism. In the diagnostic mode, primitives may be communicated between a client device coupled (e.g., via a network or USB connection) to the headless server appliance, such as to provide the client device with access to the headless server appliance's hard disk. Other primitives, such as communicated via APIs, may provide the client device with access to the BIOS. The secondary operating system and/or client device may perform diagnostics and recovery operations on the headless server appliance. For example, the client device or similar source may restore or update the primary operating system image to a storage medium of the headless server appliance.

Abstract: A novel virtual calling card system and method aid in the formation of online relationships, serving as an introduction tool and as a contact mechanism. The calling card is an exchangeable entity that is automatically updated, ensuring that the recipient or viewer sees the most current version of the card. The card may display an aspect ratio that is the same as that of a traditional business card, and has a front side and a reverse side. Furthermore, the card provides a number of avenues for the card owner to express themselves, including an array of affiliation symbols, a most recent mood symbol, and a text field. The reverse side of the card can display a representation of the owner's social network, so that the recipients of the card may identify common friends and associates. Thus, the sewer-based card exchange appears to users as an exchange in the physical world.

Abstract: A novel application and user interface for facilitating group interactions over a network integrates messaging, file sharing, media playing, journaling, profiles, and gaming into a cohesive environment. The groups facilitated by the invention are persistent and mobile in that a user does not have to recollect and reconfigure the group each time he or she wants to interact with the group online and, while online, the group may be taken from one activity to another without having to disband and reconnect at the second activity. The application is modular so as to be extensible to include other activities and functionalities. In an embodiment, the group interaction application utilizes a peer-to-peer network environment to facilitate network communications between group members.

Abstract: A novel virtual calling card system and method aid in the formation of online relationships, serving as an introduction tool and as a contact mechanism. The calling card is an exchangeable entity that is automatically updated, ensuring that the recipient or viewer sees the most current version of the card. The card may display an aspect ratio that is the same as that of a traditional business card, and has a front side and a reverse side. Furthermore, the card provides a number of avenues for the card owner to express themselves, including an array of affiliation symbols, a most recent mood symbol, and a text field. The reverse side of the card can display a representation of the owner's social network, so that the recipients of the card may identify common friends and associates. Thus, the server-based card exchange appears to users as an exchange in the physical world.

Abstract: A technique for efficiently transferring files in a peer-to-peer network promotes substantially real-time file sharing over the network. Nodes of the network may serve as both clients and servers, such that the file transfer burden in the network is equitably distributed across the nodes of the network, generally ensuring that the file dissemination process is executed as quickly as possible. In an embodiment, each node that has or receives a file advertises possession of the file so that other nodes may obtain the file therefrom. In an embodiment, a node may simultaneously receive a file via download from a particular node and serve that same file via upload to another node. Within this embodiment, a generation identifier is preferably associated with each copy of the file to prevent two nodes, each having only part of a file, from attempting to retrieve the remainder of the file from each other.

Abstract: A novel application and user interface for facilitating group interactions over a network integrates messaging, file sharing, media playing, journaling, profiles, and gaming into a cohesive environment. The groups facilitated by the invention are persistent and mobile in that a user does not have to recollect and reconfigure the group each time he or she wants to interact with the group online and, while online, the group may be taken from one activity to another without having to disband and reconnect at the second activity. The application is modular so as to be extensible to include other activities and functionalities. In an embodiment, the group interaction application utilizes a peer-to-peer network environment to facilitate network communications between group members.

Abstract: A novel virtual calling card system and method aid in the formation of online relationships, serving as an introduction tool and as a contact mechanism. The calling card is an exchangeable entity that is automatically updated, ensuring that the recipient or viewer sees the most current version of the card. The card may display an aspect ratio that is the same as that of a traditional business card, and has front side and a reverse side. Furthermore, the card provides a number of avenues for the card owner to express themselves, including an array of affiliation symbols, a most recent mood symbol, and a text field. The reverse side of the card can display a representation of the owner's social network, so that recipients of the card may identify common friends and associates. The exchange of the card, although server-based, appears to users to simply be a transfer of the card from the owner, or other party, to the recipient, much as a card changes hands in the physical world.

Abstract: A communication icon represents a shared connection allowing members of an online group to interact with each other and participate in different activities together. The icon through which the group interacts resides on each group member's desktop and has many attributes including click activation modes and drag and drop functionality. The icon provides each group member with a representation of the group's shared relationship. Any group member can change the group icon and have that change propagated to the computers of the other members of the group. The icon can be activated for both non-verbal and verbal communications as well as activity sharing. Online members of the group are kept apprised of the group's status and activities via a displayed status bar.