Abstract: Simulation of a computational job using various sets of resources, and potentially also the automated or semi-automated allocation of an appropriate set of resources for accomplishing a computational job comprising multiple vertices. For each of multiple potential sets of resources, a simulation module simulates processing of the computational job. While the simulation does not actually perform the vertex on each processing node, the simulation does use dependencies between vertices, and historical data regarding the processing of instances of such vertices, in order to determine the efficacy of processing of each vertex, and to put the estimations together into an overall simulation result.

Abstract: Simulation of a computational job using various sets of resources, and potentially also the automated or semi-automated allocation of an appropriate set of resources for accomplishing a computational job comprising multiple vertices. For each of multiple potential sets of resources, a simulation module simulates processing of the computational job. While the simulation does not actually perform the vertex on each processing node, the simulation does use dependencies between vertices, and historical data regarding the processing of instances of such vertices, in order to determine the efficacy of processing of each vertex, and to put the estimations together into an overall simulation result.

Abstract: Modification of the presentation of page appearance, page navigation flow, and other aspects of the user experience of an online shopper navigating the virtual shopping cart and checkout pages of an online store is achieved without compromising the security of checkout processing. The modification may include customization, and various configuration and customization tools may be employed. The online shopper experiences continuity between unsecured-connection pages presenting items for purchase and secured-connection pages presented for checkout processing. In one embodiment, page navigation flow is modified using continuations implemented using a relatively small stack to save information relating to the flow. In another embodiment, a page designer enables a dynamic version of a page specification program to be generated, such as by way of a page customization interface. Partial evaluation is employed to generate a version of the program that is executed at request time.

Abstract: Modification of the presentation of page appearance, page navigation flow, and other aspects of the user experience of an online shopper navigating the virtual shopping cart and checkout pages of an online store is achieved without compromising the security of checkout processing. The modification may include customization, and various configuration and customization tools may be employed. The online shopper experiences continuity between unsecured-connection pages presenting items for purchase and secured-connection pages presented for checkout processing. In one embodiment, page navigation flow is modified using continuations implemented using a relatively small stack to save information relating to the flow. In another embodiment, a page designer enables a dynamic version of a page specification program to be generated, such as by way of a page customization interface. Partial evaluation is employed to generate a version of the program that is executed at request time.

Abstract: A multimedia presentation is divided into sequential segments, each segment having a time length, the transmission of the segments of the multimedia presentation is then scheduled according to a specified delay time that does not depend on the time lengths of the segments, and the segments are then transmitted over a broadcast network according to the schedule for each segment so computed. Preferably, a transmission bandwidth of multiple times that of the multimedia presentation is allocated for transmission of the segments and each segment is then transmitted repeatedly based on the computed schedule. In cases of conflict, later segments are scheduled earlier and thus transmitted more frequently than desired. Once transmitted, the segments may be received and stored in temporary storage, and then played back as soon as the delay time has elapsed.

Abstract: A method in computer networks in which a client machine (playback client computer) requests multimedia files, such as compressed video clips, from a server (storage server computer). The transmission uses digital data packets. In the case of video files, the packet headers identify the video frame and the sequence number of each packet derived from the frame. The transmission timing is not based on a steady byte stream or an average of bytes to be transmitted. Instead, in the case of video, the frame rate determines normal transmission and a frame is transmitted during each frame time. The client agent has a normal packet buffer, normally holding 1-5 video frames. The transmission rate is adjusted to keep that buffer filled within its normal range. The timing information required for transmission, in one embodiment, is stored in a separate index file associated with each multimedia file.