Abstract: A computer-implemented method of introducing users of a service includes sending a suggestion to a first user of a service and suggesting an introduction of a second user to a third user of the service. The second and third users are both identified as contacts of the first user in a contact list of the first user and the second and third users satisfy predefined selection criteria with respect to shared contacts, comprising users identified in contact lists of both the second and third users. The method also includes receiving, from the first user, a response to the suggestion; and upon receiving a positive response to the suggestion from the first user, sending the introduction to at least one of the second and third users.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a proxy object capable of communication with an external entity, comprising specifying a proxy object definition for the proxy object wherein the proxy object definition defines a first function for communicating with the external entity, specifying at least one implementation class for the proxy object definition, wherein the at least one implementation class does not implement the first function, and wherein the at least one implementation class includes functionality to support one of: proxy object design, software compilation and software execution.

Abstract: In some embodiments, code can be encapsulated in an external behavior component for affecting the behavior of an element inserted into an HTML document. A reference can be attached to the element in the document to associate the element with the external behavior component. A renderer can parse the element in the HTML document and access the external component to modify a behavior of a page image. For example, the properties or location of a displayed element associated with the external behavior component may be changed on an event, the external behavior component can control user data input, or the external behavior component can draw on the page image. Multiple documents can reuse external behavior components, and an element can be associated with multiple external behavior components. The associations between elements and external behavior components may be maintained in cascading style sheets, inline with the elements, and in various formats.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a proxy object capable of communication with an external entity, comprising specifying a proxy object definition for the proxy object wherein the proxy object definition defines a first function for communicating with the external entity, specifying at least one implementation class for the proxy object definition, wherein the at least one implementation class does not implement the first function, and wherein the at least one implementation class includes functionality to support one of: proxy object design, software compilation and software execution.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a proxy object capable of communication with an external entity, comprising specifying a proxy object definition for the proxy object wherein the proxy object definition defines a first function for communicating with the external entity, specifying at least one implementation class for the proxy object definition, wherein the at least one implementation class does not implement the first function, and wherein the at least one implementation class includes functionality to support one of: proxy object design, software compilation and software execution.

Abstract: A developer can express the logic offered by a Web service, or other network accessible service, using a standard programming language augmented with declarative annotations specifying preferences for exposing that logic as a Web service. At compile time, an enhanced compiler can analyze the annotated source file and automatically generate the mechanisms required to expose its functionality as a Web service or network accessible service.

Abstract: In some embodiments, code can be encapsulated in an external behavior component for affecting the behavior of an element inserted into an HTML document. A reference can be attached to the element in the document to associate the element with the external behavior component. A renderer can parse the element in the HTML document and access the external component to modify a behavior of a page image. For example, the properties or location of a displayed element associated with the external behavior component may be changed on an event, the external behavior component can control user data input, or the external behavior component can draw on the page image. Multiple documents can reuse external behavior components, and an element can be associated with multiple external behavior components. The associations between elements and external behavior components may be maintained in cascading style sheets, inline with the elements, and in various formats.

Abstract: A method and system for rendering dynamic web page images on a display is disclosed. Code is encapsulated in an external behavior component for affecting the behavior of elements inserted into an HTML document. A simple reference is attached to the element in the document to associate the element with the external behavior component. When the document is provided to a renderer and the renderer parses the element in the document, the renderer accesses the external component to modify a behavior of the page image. Multiple documents can reuse external behavior components, and an element can be associated with multiple external behavior components. The associations between elements and external behavior components may be maintained in cascading style sheets, inline with the elements, and in various formats.

Abstract: An entity is abstracted through implementation of a proxy object of the present invention, including functions for a software application to programmatically interact with the entity at runtime, as well as optional compile and design time implementation classes to support the development and customization of declarative proxy object definitions. In one embodiment, builder and resource interfaces are provided to assist in the creation of the implementation classes. In one embodiment, an extension interface is also provided to facilitate extension of an implementation of the proxy object. Software applications including programmatic usage of proxy object functions are compiled into object codes with proxy objects and meta data files. The compiled object codes are executed using a runtime engine, which includes proxy context objects to facilitate interaction on an instance basis, and an asynchronous event router to route asynchronous events for the entity.

Abstract: An annotation based development platform for stateful web services is described. In one embodiment, the developer expresses logic offered by the web service using a standard programming language augmented with declarative annotations specifying preferences for exposing that logic as a stateful web service. At compile time, an enhanced compiler analyzes the annotated source file and automatically generates the mechanisms required to expose its functionality as a stateful web service.

Abstract: An annotation based development platform for asynchronous web services is described. In one embodiment, the developer expresses logic offered by the web service using a standard programming language augmented with declarative annotations specifying preferences for exposing that logic as an asynchronous web service. At compile time, an enhanced compiler analyzes the annotated source file and automatically generates the mechanisms required to expose its functionality as an asynchronous web service.

Abstract: A system and method for creating a proxy object capable of communication with an external entity, comprising specifying a proxy object definition for the proxy object wherein the proxy object definition defines a first function for communicating with the external entity, specifying at least one implementation class for the proxy object definition, wherein the at least one implementation class does not implement the first function, and wherein the at least one implementation class includes functionality to support one of: proxy object design, software compilation and software execution.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a method for proxy-based file sharing is described. The method comprises establishing a peer to peer connection with a remote client through a server using a file sharing application at the remote client, generating a document having a network address, receiving a file from the remote client through the file sharing application, posting the received file on the document, and sending the document with the posted file to a second remote client. Other embodiments are also disclosed.

Abstract: An iterative software development environment is provided to perform modified dependency analyses for use in building a target file and all the files on which it depends from one or more source files using a set of prioritized build rules. In one embodiment, the build rules indicate how different types of target files can be generated from different source file types. A given target file type may be associated with several rules, each having a different priority, for building the target from different source file types. In one embodiment, if more than one source file exists that can be used to generate a given target file, the rule with the highest priority is used. In one embodiment, the build environment identifies how to generate a particular target file by identifying the highest priority rule for which an associated source file type exists.

Abstract: An iterative software development environment is provided to perform modified dependency analyses for use in building a target file and all the files on which it depends from one or more source files using a set of prioritized build rules. In one embodiment, the build rules indicate how different types of target files can be generated from different source file types. A given target file type may be associated with several rules, each having a different priority, for building the target from different source file types. In one embodiment, if more than one source file exists that can be used to generate a given target file, the rule with the highest priority is used. In one embodiment, the build environment identifies how to generate a particular target file by identifying the highest priority rule for which an associated source file type exists.

Abstract: A developer can express the logic offered by a Web service, or other network accessible service, using a standard programming language augmented with declarative annotations specifying preferences for exposing that logic as a Web service. At compile time, an enhanced compiler can analyze the annotated source file and automatically generate the mechanisms required to expose its functionality as a Web service or network accessible service. Because the annotations are declarative, they may be easily visualized, created, and modified such as by using a graphical user interface, further simplifying the developer's task. Thus, such an approach decreases the time, knowledge, skill and ultimately cost required to develop the complex support required to proved services in these environments. This description is not intended to be a complete description of, or limit the scope of, the invention.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer-readable medium for authoring and executing HTML application files is disclosed. An HTML application file is basically a standard HTML file that runs in its own window outside of the browser, and is thus not bound by the security restrictions of the browser. The author of an HTML application file can take advantage of the relaxed security. The author of the HTML application file designates the file as an HTML application file by doing one or more of the following: defining the MIME type as an HTML application MIME type; or using an HTML application file extension for the file. When a browser, such as the Internet Explorer, encounters one of the above, it processes the file as an HTML application file rather than a standard HTML file by creating a main window independent of the browser, and rendering the HTML in the main window.

Abstract: An entity is abstracted through implementation of a proxy object of the present invention, including functions for a software application to programmatically interact with the entity at runtime, as well as optional compile and design time implementation classes to support the development and customization of declarative proxy object definitions. In one embodiment, builder and resource interfaces are provided to assist in the creation of the implementation classes. In one embodiment, an extension interface is also provided to facilitate extension of an implementation of the proxy object. Software applications including programmatic usage of proxy object functions are compiled into object codes with proxy objects and meta data files. The compiled object codes are executed using a runtime engine, which includes proxy context objects to facilitate interaction on an instance basis, and an asynchronous event router to route asynchronous events for the entity.

Abstract: An iterative software development environment is provided to perform modified dependency analyses for use in building a target file and all the files on which it depends from one or more source files using a set of prioritized build rules. In one embodiment, the build rules indicate how different types of target files can be generated from different source file types. A given target file type may be associated with several rules, each having a different priority, for building the target from different source file types. In one embodiment, if more than one source file exists that can be used to generate a given target file, the rule with the highest priority is used. In one embodiment, the build environment identifies how to generate a particular target file by identifying the highest priority rule for which an associated source file type exists.

Abstract: An annotation based development platform for stateful web services is described. In one embodiment, the developer expresses logic offered by the web service using a standard programming language augmented with declarative annotations specifying preferences for exposing that logic as a stateful web service. At compile time, an enhanced compiler analyzes the annotated source file and automatically generates the mechanisms required to expose its functionality as a stateful web service.