Abstract: Queries and postings made to an online electronic message board are managed by a number of community and customized software search robots. The robots interact with subscribers to access, retrieve and post messages according to content groupings and classifications that reflect the collective shared interests, desires, etc., of such subscribers. Because the information is already pre-classified and indexed in such fashion, subscribers are given rapid access to key information that is most of interest to them, enhancing their overall experience with the system.

Abstract: A program and graphical user interface is provided for facilitating user interactions with an online message board system. The interface provides multiple levels of filtering and screening capability with query parameters presented within a first portion of the interface to permit comprehensive and flexible selection of message entries of interest to a user. The message entries are compiled into intelligent sets corresponding to logical constructs tailored for the community of users for the online message board system, so that the need for reviewing messages to locate relevant subject matter is substantially eliminated. After the user specified message entries are retrieved, they can be displayed in list form in a second portion of the interface, and then reviewed in depth in yet a third portion of the interface.

Abstract: An online message board system monitors message traffic generated by subscribers so that intelligent decisions can be made concerning what types of content to locate and retrieve, what priority to use for locating such content, how to organize such content for ease of access by the subscribers, etc. A series of software robots are used to locate, retrieve and sort the content as derived from other online news groups. By studying subscriber message traffic, the system can self-tune itself automatically to constantly adjust content retrieval, storage and presentation in response to changing community interests, desires, and the like. Because subscriber feedback is accounted for and incorporated into the design of the message board system, this enhances the experience for online users, resulting in increased system usage, subscriber retention characteristics, etc.

Abstract: A Java applet program loaded initially from a remote server is configured to receive additional user annotations for data displayed in an already opened applet window located at the user's client system. To increase the usefulness and flexibility of such program, the user is permitted to preserve/capture, during an interactive session, the modified applet window containing any such input or modifications to the applet window data. Because the updated applet window data cannot be written to the user's client system, however, (due to security restrictions), the present invention instead causes such modified window data to be converted to a standard compressed graphics file format (such as GIF for an image file for example), and then uploaded to the remote server. From there the applet can then open another applet window within a browser program pointing to the location of such file on the remote server. At that point, the user can then perform any desired operation on the file (i.e.

Abstract: A graphical user interface is provided for capturing application data in picture form. A set of data capture tools, including a subjective data parameter pallette and accompanying data canvas, are presented to an operator during an interactive session. By selecting and placing such data parameters on the data canvas, a user can paint a data picture representing his/her subjective motivations, mental impressions, reasons, etc., for engaging in a particular transaction. In a preferred embodiment, the present interface is used in connection with a stock portfolio management application, where it is used to capture user rationale and logic for purchasing or selling financial instruments such as securities, options, etc.