Abstract: The apparatus of the invention includes a local computer network. Remote users may connect to the local computer network through a larger network, such as the Internet. The local computer network has at least one server computer which can be accessed by remote users. The local computer network also has at least one computer software program and at least one database located therein. The computer software programs prompt a remote user to select a page template for displaying the personal page. The programs next allow the remote user to contribute text and graphics to the personal page. The programs also allow the remote user to authorize others to review the personal page. The programs store attributes representing the layout of the personal page, the text and graphics contributed by the remote user, and the authorization information entered by the remote user in the one or more databases located on the local computer network.

Abstract: A system of matching a first user with at least one other user of the system by comparing criteria data of the first user with characteristic data of the at least one other user and criteria data of the at least one other user with characteristic data of the first user. The characteristic and criteria data can be obtained via the Internet, and more specifically through a series of web site screens that prompt the user for characteristic and preference data. The system performs the comparison of the respective characteristic and criteria data to provide a list of matches to the first user. The first user is furnished with information that allows the first user to contact the other users for which a match has been found.

Abstract: A system for providing personal advertisements over a public network and for matching personal advertisements of different users includes means for integrating data from a plurality of different storage devices into a single database accessible by a user over a public network. The database includes client and user profile information collected from users over the public network and through one or more call centers and adtaking systems.

Abstract: A system for matching users in response to user selections from sets of sensory stimuli. The system provides a first sensory stimulus set to a user including a plurality of stimuli and stores an identifier that identifies the user's response to the stimulus. The system then generates a user data string that includes an identifier for each of the sensory stimuli selected by the user in each of the plurality of sensory stimulus sets and sums the number of sensory stimuli selected by a selected user and another user to provide a match value. The match value is compared to a predetermined threshold value.

Abstract: A system of matching a first user with at least one other user of the system by comparing criteria data of the first user with characteristic data of the at least one other user and criteria data of the at least one other user with characteristic data of the first user. The characteristic and criteria data can be obtained via the Internet, and more specifically through a series of web site screens that prompt the user for characteristic and preference data. The system performs the comparison of the respective characteristic and criteria data to provide a list of matches to the first user. The first user is furnished with information that allows the first user to contact the other users for which a match has been found.

Abstract: eThe personal journal system of the invention tracks personal contacts made by a first user of a personals system with other users of the system. The system may be implemented on a local computer network which may be accessed by remote users through a larger network such as the Internet. The system provides the first user with means for identifying other users of the system, means for generating journal entries corresponding to the other users, means for storing the journal entries and means for displaying the journal entries. The system may also provide searching matching functions for identifying other users, and electronic mail messaging.