Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product for an interface for receiving a user input and a user selection signal and for concurrently supporting a set of service templates; and a specification compiling system communicable to a network supporting the network resource for combining the user input with a user-specified service template selected from the set of service templates responsive to the user selection signal to produce the resource access specification.

Abstract: A communications distribution system for a network, e.g. Internet E-Mail transmitted between interactive display terminals. The invention offers a solution to the above problems by providing a display interface at a receiving terminal including the conventional mechanisms of access of an E-Mail distribution server by an E-Mail client; but in addition provides an indicator mechanism enabling a user of the E-Mail distribution system to receive an indication of its status of the system. The invention further provides, in some implementations, a mechanism to initiate various tests to confirm access and availability. This invention is applicable to enable an E-Mail user to instantly and visually/aurally determine whether any connected E-Mail distribution system is presently available. The invention may also be extended to other communications networks including standard telephone (POTS, PSTN), cellular, and wireless, broadband communications systems.

Abstract: A secure electronic mail distribution system for a network, e.g. Encrypted Internet E-Mail transmitted between interactive display terminals. The system offers a solution to the disclosed problems by providing a display interface at a receiving terminal including the conventional mechanisms of access of an E-Mail distribution server by an E-Mail client; but in addition provides an automatic encryption mechanism that responds to a key request to generate a public key/private key pair enabling a user of the E-Mail distribution system to send secured messages and to have the recipient receive a cleartext version of an encrypted message transmission.