Abstract: Systems, methods and data structures are described for attaching a digital signature to a web page and authenticating the digital signature before allowing the web page to invoke a software control on a computer that has downloaded the web page. Unauthorized users cannot gain access to a control on a computer through a web page that is downloaded to the computer, if the source of the web page or application cannot be authenticated or is not a trusted source.

Abstract: An input URL string is searched for a particular pattern, the pattern being defined in a manner such that the search may be satisfied while allowing variability among constituent parts of the input URL string. The input URL string is mapped to an output URL string if the pattern is found in the input URL string.

Abstract: Methods and systems for rendering information pages are described. A page is divided into panes which are rendered by individual pane renderers. The pane renderers can be shared between pages, or even re-used across multiple applications. Rendering support components or objects are provided and can provide access to shared services or data (e.g. ads, user preferences, scripts, and styles) that might be required by multiple panes on a page. Page descriptions comprising pane renderers are created dynamically in a prescribed fashion by an application. A page renderer service in a platform then processes the page description and causes the appropriate RSOs to be called, initialized, and used by the pane renderers to render the page.

Abstract: An input URL string is searched for a particular pattern, the pattern being defined in a manner such that the search may be satisfied while allowing variability among constituent parts of the input URL string. The input URL string is mapped to an output URL string if the pattern is found in the input URL string.

Abstract: The invention provides for flexible, convenient, and dynamic URL mapping methods and systems by providing generalized approaches which specify patterns in term of recognizable syntax. The recognizable syntax can be defined by one or more rules. The rules are used and applied to an input URL string which is provided by a client to map the input URL string to an output URL string which is used by a rendering engine to provide a requested resource. Embodiments of the invention provide for a rule cache or internal store in which rules are kept. The rule cache allows for rules to be added, deleted, or modified as desired, without the need to stop and re-start the web service. The rule cache can be populated dynamically at run time. In addition, embodiments of the invention conveniently group rules into rule groups. Individual rule groups can be selectively applied to an input URL string.