Abstract: It is desirable to send documents to a user in such a way as to minimize the bandwidth and other computer resources required. To this end, a document may be categorized as (1) delta information (information that changes rapidly), (2) sub-template information (information that changes less frequently) and (3) template information, which changes very seldom. The template information and sub-template information are compressed and cached at a site remote from the requesting party. Compressing and caching both sub-template information and template information results in a significant savings of bandwidth and computing resources, such as would be required if the sub-template information were treated as delta information and were not stored in a cache as is the case in the prior art. This savings is enhanced when the compressed template and sub-template information are sent to a large number of users.

Abstract: An electronic commerce system managing sale and distribution of products over the Internet or other type of network. In order to prevent attempts by users to fraudulently obtain the products, system analyzes the information submitted by the users in connection with stored and associated information in an order to determine that likelihood that the order is an attempt at fraud. Based upon the determination, system accepts or declines the order. The system also saves the user-entered information for use in determining whether to accept to decline future orders.

Abstract: A computer software license management system wrapper for use in a local computer is described. The software wrapper includes a wrapper interface that provides controlled access to a computer software application file. The software application file is encapsulated by security software code to protect it from unauthorized access. The software wrapper also includes a software license key identifying a license policy specifying a use limitation within a geographic boundary. In addition, the software wrapper includes a license validation mechanism that periodically determines compliance with the license policy. The license validation mechanism permits access by another process operating on the local computer through the wrapper interface in response to a valid license confirmation signal received from the license server. A license server that utilizes and an electronic storefront that sells software license wrappers having software use limitations within a geographic boundary also are described.

Abstract: A computer software license management system wrapper for use in a local computer is described. The software wrapper includes a wrapper interface that provides controlled access to a computer software application file. The software application file is encapsulated by security software code to protect it from unauthorized access. The software wrapper also includes a software license key identifying a license policy specifying a use limitation within a geographic boundary. In addition, the software wrapper includes a license validation mechanism that periodically determines compliance with the license policy. The license validation mechanism permits access by another process operating on the local computer through the wrapper interface in response to a valid license confirmation signal received from the license server. A license server that utilizes and an electronic storefront that sells software license wrappers having software use limitations within a geographic boundary also are described.

Abstract: A computer software license management system wrapper for use in a local computer is described. The software wrapper includes a wrapper interface that provides controlled access to a computer software application file. The software application file is encapsulated by security software code to protect it from unauthorized access. The software wrapper also includes a software license key identifying a license policy specifying a use limitation within a geographic boundary. In addition, the software wrapper includes a license validation mechanism that periodically determines compliance with the license policy. The license validation mechanism permits access by another process operating on the local computer through the wrapper interface in response to a valid license confirmation signal received from the license server. A license server that utilizes and an electronic storefront that sells software license wrappers having software use limitations within a geographic boundary also are described.

Abstract: The invention provides a method for predicting which network objects are likely to be requested by a web user from a web server, such as that used in conjunction with an internetworking environment. A request made by a web user for a web object is parsed and dynamic values contained therein normalized. A prediction is made based on the normalized request, statistical measures, and other factors about what other web objects the web user is likely to request. The predictive information is then made available to the web server and the predicted net objects are pre-downloaded to the Web client. A pre-download statistics server may be used to record and provide statistics to assist in the prediction process. Examples described herein relate to web pages, but the invention is broadly applicable to many different types of requests for information (such as, for example, database queries and other libraries of information.

Abstract: A data collection system collects statistics related to each visit to each web-page within a web-site. In addition to collecting path information related to traversals to and from each web-page, the system collects information regarding the particular session, such as the visitor's connection speed, the time required to download the web-page to the visitor's system, the duration of time that the visitor spent at the page, whether the user clicked the ‘back’ button to leave the site, and so on. The data reporting system presents statistics based on the collected data in an easy-to-use and easy-to-understand form that is customizable by the user. By collecting and reporting performance factors related to each web-page, or sets of web-pages within a web-site, marketers and webmasters can address any perceived deficiencies and/or can optimize the performance of select pages to achieve specific marketing objectives.

Abstract: An electronic commerce system having a server and an end user machine interacting through a network during an electronic commerce transaction is disclosed. The server includes a software module configured to receive user-entered information via the network including an electronic purchase order for a product within the electronic commerce system. In addition, the server includes a fraud detection mechanism active during electronic commerce transactions. The fraud detection mechanism determines a likelihood that the electronic purchase order is attempted fraud based upon (i) information associated with the user-entered information and (ii) factors relating to a users real-time interaction with the server during a transaction to process the electronic purchase order. A method performed by an electronic commerce system for determining a likelihood that the electronic purchase order is attempted fraud based is also provided.

Abstract: A computer-based system is provided for demonstrating software programs to a potential purchaser and for gathering marketing information related to the demonstration of the programs. The system enables the software programs for execution upon selection by a user, and allows the user to subsequently operate or sample the selected software program. The system maintains the selected software program in a locked state to prevent unauthorized duplication of the selected software program, and selectively disables the sampling, such as when the user completes the sampling or if the system detects that the user is attempting to copy the sampled application. A code is generated that identifies one or more particular software programs and contains information relating to sampling of the particular software programs by the user, such as which applications were sampled and how many times they were sampled.

Abstract: A computer-based self-launching system associated with a software program or other digital information is provided for distributing the software program or other digital information to a potential purchaser. The self-launching system is attached to a software program or other digital information and includes the ability to launch itself when a user selects the software program or other digital information. Upon launching itself, the system unlocks the software program or other digital information in response to a purchase request.

Abstract: A computer-based system is provided for automatic sales of software programs. The system accesses a software program within a computer database and maintains the software program in a locked state in order to prevent unauthorized duplication of the software program. In response to a request to purchase the software program, the system unlocks a copy of the software program and distributes the unlocked copy. The system records how many copies of the software program have been distributed in response to the purchase requests for billing purposes.

Abstract: A computer-based self-launching system associated with a software program is provided for demonstrating the software program to a potential purchaser of the program. The self-launching system is attached to a software program and includes the ability to launch itself when a user selects the software program. Upon launching itself, the system enables the software program for execution and allows the user to subsequently sample the software program. The system maintains the software program in a locked state during the sampling in order to prevent unauthorized duplication of the software program. The sampling of the software program is selectively disabled, such as when the user completes the sampling or if the system detects that the user is attempting to copy the sampled application.

Abstract: A computer-based on-line system is provided for demonstrating software programs to a potential purchaser. The system receives from an on-line system a software program to be demonstrated, and maintains the software program in a locked state in order to prevent unauthorized duplication of the software program. The software program is enabled for execution upon selection by a user, and the user is allowed to subsequently operate or sample the software program. The system maintains the software program in the locked state during the sampling in order to prevent unauthorized duplication of the software program. The sampling of the software program is selectively disabled, such as when the user completes the sampling or if the system detects that the user is attempting to copy the sampled application.

Abstract: A computer-based system is provided for preventing unauthorized duplication of a particular software program among a plurality of active software programs executed on a computer. The system receives an indication that the computer is executing the particular software program, and then monitors operation of the computer to determine which of the plurality of the active software programs is being currently executed. When the system determines through the monitoring that the particular software program is not the currently executed software program, it disables execution of the particular software program.