Abstract: The present invention provides a distributed system control method information processing apparatus that enables a user to ascertain easily and in real time the environment around such user, that is, the status of other users and of peripheral devices, during use of the distributed system, in particular enabling the user to obtain easily information on peripheral devices the user is permitted to use. In a distributed system in which a plurality of user terminals and peripheral devices are dispersed, information indicating the current status of the users of the user terminals and information indicating the current status of the peripheral devices is stored, updated according to changes in status, and the current status of users of other user terminals and the current status of the peripheral devices selectively displayed on the same display screen at each of the plurality of user terminals.

Abstract: The present invention provides a distributed system control method information processing apparatus that enables a user to ascertain easily and in real time the environment around such user, that is, the status of other users and of peripheral devices, during use of the distributed system, in particular enabling the user to obtain easily information on peripheral devices the user is permitted to use. In a distributed system in which a plurality of user terminals and peripheral devices are dispersed, information indicating the current status of the users of the user terminals and information indicating the current status of the peripheral devices is stored, updated according to changes in status, and the current status of users of other user terminals and the current status of the peripheral devices selectively displayed on the same display screen at each of the plurality of user terminals.

Abstract: A reservation information reference apparatus for referencing facility reservation information from a terminal connected to a network is disclosed. The reservation information reference apparatus transmits a request for reservation information for a specified facility and receives the reservation information from a server via a communication device thereof. Subsequently, the reservation information reference apparatus displays, on a screen, a current scene for a terminal associated with the requested reservation information as the facility reservation information received from the communication device.

Abstract: A sharing system is provided in which, when a detecting unit in a server apparatus receives image information from a first terminal apparatus, the server apparatus transmits image information of other terminal apparatuses to a second terminal apparatus from which input of an authentication number indicating a user who is identical to a user who is logged in with the first terminal apparatus is detected.

Abstract: With spreads of the Internet network, mobile communication networks, intranet networks within organizations, wireless LANs and other communication networks, there has been broadly prevailed a group information shared system in which user groups share their information with each other by utilizing those communication networks. A problem inherent in the group information shared system is that a user providing a useful piece of information to other users, a user participating in the group many times, a user logging in the group for a long time, are not displayed in conspicuous positions. Such being the case, according to the invention of the present application, order processing is executed based on information such as a receipt count etc of message information, wherein the user providing the useful information to other users is displayed in a visually-easy-to-recognize position.