Abstract: A browser-based email system has a thin client connected to a host mail server. The thin client implements a browser. The host mail server provides pages to the thin client, which can be rendered by the browser to present an email service to a user. The thin client is equipped to receive audio and video data and supports a user interface to facilitate capture of the audio or video data for inclusion in an email message. After a data stream is captured and stored locally at the client, the browser submits a request to the host mail server that contains a token in lieu of the data stream. The host mail server returns a response specifying a new page that contains the email message. The response also includes the token and indicates a location in the new page at which the audio or video data is to be rendered. Upon receiving the response, the browser inserts the data stream into the new page at the location and renders the new page.

Abstract: An extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system provides a platform for developing network navigation components that operate on a variety of hardware and software computer systems. These navigation components include key integrating components along with components configured to deliver conventional services directed to computer networks, such as Gopher-specific and Web-specific components. Communication among these components is achieved through novel application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a highly-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows any existing component to be replaced, and allows new components to be added, without affecting operation of the network component system.

Abstract: A log component of an extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system maintains a list of locations explored by a user when navigating a computer network, in addition to organizing various "views" of the list to provide a mental "routing map" relationship between the explored locations. The network-oriented system includes a novel application programming interface for the log component that facilitates integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a highly-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows the log component to be replaced, extended or modified by other log-type components, while ensuring that these latter components "seamlessly" interact with existing components and component editors of the system.

Abstract: A network-oriented component system efficiently accesses information from a network resource located on a computer network by creating an encapsulated network entity that contains a reference to that resource. The encapsulated entity is preferably implemented as a network component stored on a computer remotely displaced from the referenced resource. In addition, the encapsulated entity may be manifested as a visual object on a graphical user interface of a computer screen. Such visual manifestation allows a user to easily manipulate the entity in order to display the contents of the resource on the screen or to electronically forward the entity over the network.

Abstract: An extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system provides a platform for developing network navigation components that operate on a variety of hardware and software computer systems. These navigation components assist users in navigating from information locations quickly and accurately. Also, these navigation components may be modified or replaced with new navigation components for embedding various types of information therein. Communication among these components is achieved through novel application programming interfaces (APIs) to facilitate integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a highly-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows any existing component to be replaced, and allows new components to be added, without affecting operation of the network component system.

Abstract: A notebook component of an extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system records locations of resources coupled to a computer network. The network-oriented system includes a novel application programming interface for the notebook component that facilitates integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a highly-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows the notebook component to be replaced, extended or modified by other notebook-type components, while ensuring that these latter components "seamlessly" interact with existing components and component editors of the system.

Abstract: A network-oriented component system facilitates development of customized user interfaces to computer networks by embedding entities that reference resources located on the networks into components of the system. The embedded entities are preferably manifested as visual objects displayed on a graphical user interface of a computer screen that a user may manipulate to effectuate the embedding process. The "container" components are preferably compound documents having contents that include different data types and formats.

Abstract: A connection dialog component of an extensible and replaceable network-oriented component system enables a user to specify address information of a particular resource coupled to a computer network. The network-oriented system includes novel application programming interfaces for the connection dialog component that facilitates integration with an underlying software component architecture. Such a highly-modular cooperating layered-arrangement between the network component system and the component architecture allows the connection dialog component to be replaced, extended or modified by other connection dialog-type components, while ensuring that these latter components "seamlessly" interact with existing components and component editors of the system.