Abstract: In order to obtain comments about video content (such as a posted video), a subset of users of a social network may be dynamically identified. This subset of users may be relevant to or may have expertise about the video content. For example, the subset of users may be identified based on their user or member profiles and characteristics of the video content. Then, requests may be iteratively provided to the subset of the users to encourage them to comment on the video content, as well as previous comments from the subset of the users. After editing the comments (which may include reordering the comments that are received at different times), the edited comments may be subsequently presented to the users of the social network.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for presenting navigation options to a user of a mobile application. During operation, the system receives usage data comprising a record of actions performed while the user was interacting with the mobile application. Next, the system analyzes the usage data to identify areas of interest within the mobile application that the user is likely to access. The system then constructs a set of personalized navigation options for the user based on the identified areas of interest, and possibly other areas of the application based on promotional considerations. Finally, the system outputs the set of personalized navigation options to be presented to the user through a navigation pane in the mobile application, wherein the navigation pane includes shortcuts to the set of personalized navigation options.

Abstract: Techniques for training a tokenizer (or word segmenter) are provided. In one technique, a tokenizer tokenizes a token string to identify individual tokens or words. A language model is generated based on the identified tokens or words. A vocabulary about an entity, such as a person or company, is identified. The vocabulary may be online data that refers to the entity, such as a news article or a profile page of a member of a social network. Some of the tokens in the vocabulary may be weighted higher than others. The language model accepts the weighted vocabulary as input and generates pseudo sentences. Alternatively, regular expressions are used to generate the pseudo sentences. The pseudo sentences are used to train the tokenizer.

Abstract: As part of a query-processing technique, in response to receiving queries for information stored in a distributed storage system and associated query-processing information identifying sets of predefined operations to perform on one or more databases in the distributed storage system, the distributed storage system accesses sets of predefined operations. Then, for the sets of predefined operations on the one or more databases, the distributed storage system uses one or more adaptors for multiple storage subsystems in the distributed storage system and one or more indexes corresponding to collections of information in the one or more databases. Moreover, the distributed storage system executes the sets of predefined operations on the multiple storage subsystems to obtain results for the queries. The sets of predefined operations may be defined by different users, so that the distributed storage system can be adapted to these users' needs.

Abstract: Techniques for estimating, in real time, the likelihood that any particular member of a social network service is a third degree connection of another member are described. Consistent with some embodiments, various member profile attributes of a member are used as a sort of proxy for determining the likelihood or probability that the member is a third degree connection of another member. For example, in some instances, the number of first-degree connections a member has is used to derive a probability score indicating the likelihood that the member is a third-degree connection of another member, such as a person performing a people-search. Once derived, the probability score for each member may be used in various applications, such as a people-search engine, to boost or increase a ranking score assigned to each search result and used to order the search results when presented to the user who has performed the search.

Abstract: A fact checking system is able to verify the correctness of information and/or characterize information by comparing the information with one or more sources. The fact checking system automatically monitors, processes, fact checks information and indicates a status of the information. Fact checking results are able to be validated by re-fact checking the fact check results.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to an apparatus or system for tracking and analyzing user interactions with a mobile user interface (UI). During operation, the apparatus collects data while a user interacts with the mobile UI through a touchscreen, wherein the data includes tap-attempt data that specifies coordinates for touchscreen locations that the user has tapped while interacting with the mobile UI. Next, the apparatus compares the tap-attempt data with locations of tappable elements in the mobile UI, wherein each tappable element has an associated tap target size. For each tappable element, the apparatus uses results of the comparison to determine a percentage of tap attempts that have succeeded or failed for the associated tap target size. Finally, the apparatus makes the percentage information available to a UI designer to enable the UI designer to adjust tap target sizes for the mobile UI.

Abstract: A method for a computer system includes receiving a first user communication, determining a first group of users, determining a target number of users, determining whether the first group of users includes the target number of users, and if not, providing the communication to the first group of users, determining a hierarchal mapping of groups of users in response to user memberships, determining a second group of users from the hierarchal mapping, determining a plurality of social network relationship factors for the second group of users with respect to the first user, and providing the communication to at least a subset of users in the second group of users in response to the first plurality of social network relationship factors.

Abstract: Method and system are provided to determine a member profile associated with a reference to a person in a publication and may be used beneficially to identify members of a social network in news articles. The system may be configured to detect a publication that was shared by a member of an on-line social networking system, determine that the publication includes a name entity, and identify a member profile in the on-line social networking system that represents a member referenced by the name entity. The process of identifying a member profile in the on-line social networking system that represents a member referenced by the name entity may include building a list of candidate profiles from the member profiles of the on-line social networking system and selecting a matching profile from the candidate profiles, utilizing one or more disambiguation techniques.

Abstract: Techniques for inferring a time zone of a user (e.g., a member of an online social network service) are described. According to various embodiments, it is determined that a particular member of an online social networks service is currently located in a particular country. Responsive to determining that a single time zone is associated with the particular country, it is determined that the particular member is currently located in the single time zone. Responsive to determining that multiple time zones are associated with the particular country, an IP address associated with a user login request is accessed, a geographic location associated with the IP address is identified, and a specific one of the multiple time zones that corresponds to the geographic location is identified. It is determined that the particular member is currently located in the specific time zone.

Abstract: Structure of a resultant Every Document as a Graph (EVG) graph may be outlined using an EVG query. First metadata for a first data source may be retrieved. At least one entity key may be determined for a first entity, the entity key coming directly from the EVG query or from an entity on a preceding level of the EVG graph. Based on the first metadata and entity key, an edge may be created in the EVG graph beginning at the first entity, wherein the edge contains information retrieved from the first data source. Second metadata for a second data source may be retrieved. Based on the second metadata and information contained in the edge retrieved from first data source, a second entity may be created in the EVG graph, wherein the edge connects to the second entity, wherein the second entity contains information retrieved from the second data source.

Abstract: Techniques for optimizing a delivery time for the delivery of messages are described. According to various embodiments, members of an online social network service that are currently located in a particular geographic location (e.g., a particular time zone) are identified. Thereafter, messages (e.g., e-mails) are transmitted to the members at multiple local times (e.g., multiple times of the day). It is then determined that one or more of the messages that were transmitted at a particular local time have received a highest value for a response metric among the messages, the response metric indicating responses by the members to the messages. The particular local time is then classified as an optimum local message delivery time for the particular geographic location.

Abstract: A method and system to determine a category score of a social network member is described. An example system comprises a sample selector, a weight value module, a storing module, an access module, and a category score module. The sample selector selects a sample of member profiles from the profiles maintained by an on-line social network system. The weight value module obtains respective weight values associated with various phrases present in the sample of member profiles. The access module accesses a member profile and the weighted phrases associated with a certain category. The category score module determines a category score for the member profile based on a presence of one or more phrases from the plurality of weighted phrases in the member profile.

Abstract: A system and method for virally growing a social network. The social network system receives a member account sign-up message for a first social network from a first member. The social network system then posts a member sign-up notification to the first member's event wall on a second social network; wherein the first member has one or more social contacts through the second social network. For at least a second respective member in the one or more social contacts, the social network system posts a personalized invitation message as a comment to the member sign-up notification on the first member's event wall, wherein the comment is initially hidden from all members other than the second respective member of the one or more member contacts.

Abstract: Systems and methods for providing push notifications of social network content items include determining first and second engagement values for first and second content items, respectively, provided by first and second content item sources, respectively, based on previous interactions with content items. First and second utility values are determined for the first and second content items, respectively, based on a mathematical operation applied to the first and second engagement values, respectively, the first and second selection metrics, respectively, and, for the first utility value, the value metric. One of the first and second content items are determined as a push content item based on a difference between the first and second utility values and displayed on a user device.

Abstract: A score is generated for each of a plurality of potential user groups in which to add the first user, each potential user group containing a plurality of users, the score based on a location of the first user. The first user is added to a first user group based on the score generated for the first user group. A pinning action by the first user pinning the first user to the first user group is then received. A change in location of the first mobile device is detected, and the score of each of the potential user groups is regenerated based on the changed location, causing a determination that the first user should be removed from the first user group. The first user is maintained as a member of the first user group despite the determination that the first user should be removed based on the pinning.

Abstract: A method is provided for maintaining a list of content channels that a user of a multi-channel content service subscribes to or has followed, and a client device for operation by the user to receive the content. If a list on the user's device has been modified, the device (e.g., an applet provided by the service) informs a synchronization server by uploading the list. The server synchronizes it with a master list and downloads a copy to the device. A channels list includes an entry for each channel the user follows (and possibly channels he has deleted), which includes an index or ordinal position of the channel among all the user's channels, an identifier of the channel (e.g., a URL), identifiers of sub-lists the channel has been assigned to, and a timestamp identifying the last time the entry changed (e.g., when the channel was added, removed, assigned to a sub-list).

Abstract: Systems and methods for the forming of user device groups are presented. In one example, potential membership of a first user in a first group of users is determined, the first group of users containing a plurality of users, by selecting the first group from a plurality of possible groups, the selecting being based on scores generated, for each of the plurality of possible groups, the scores based at least partially on the a loneliness score for the first user, the loneliness score being an estimate of how lonely the first user is and being calculated by examining past communications between an electronic device of the first user and other electronic devices via a social network service. The first user is then added to the first group of users based on the loneliness score. Content from a second user in the first group of users is received, and then the content is distributed to users in the first group of users.

Abstract: A method for a computer system includes receiving a first user communication, determining a first group of users, determining a target number of users, determining whether the first group of users includes the target number of users, and if not, providing the communication to the first group of users, determining a hierarchal mapping of groups of users in response to user memberships, determining a second group of users from the hierarchal mapping, determining a plurality of social network relationship factors for the second group of users with respect to the first user, and providing the communication to at least a subset of users in the second group of users in response to the first plurality of social network relationship factors.

Abstract: Techniques for team searches within a social graph are described. Consistent with some embodiments, a search request initiated by a searching member profile is received. The search request includes search criteria. A team membership connection between the searching member profile and a team profile is then detected. Based on the detected team membership connection, profile connections between member profiles and teammates of the searching member profile are identified. The teammates are member profiles with team membership connections to the team profile. Then, matching member profiles are identified by matching the member profiles with the identified profile connection with the search criteria. The matching member profiles are then communicated to the searching member profile.

Abstract: A first member of a social network service provides a set of desired attributes and a designation of the type of a candidate having the desired attributes that is desired as a recommendation. The attributes of the profiles of other members of the social networks are searched for entities having the set of desired attributes. At least one of the entities having the desired attributes that result from the search is presented to the first member as the recommendation of a candidate. The first member may provide a second set of desired attributes and a designation of the type of at least one second candidate having the second set of desired attributes. The attributes of the profiles of the other members of the social network may be searched for second entities having the second set of desired attributes. The first member is presented with at least one of the second entities as the recommendation of a second candidate.

Abstract: Disclosed in some examples is a method including determining a set of recommended connections for a member of a social networking service based upon a recommendation criteria; presenting the set of recommended connections to the member; receiving from the member a selection of a set of target members; and for each particular member in the set of target members: determining a second set of recommended connections for the particular target member, the second set of recommended connections based upon the recommendation criteria and based upon the set of target members; and sending a notification to the particular member, the notification including the second set of recommended connections.

Abstract: A navigation system and method are described. A destination may be determined for a user. A starting location may be determined for the user using data obtained via a mobile device of the user. The user may be enabled to establish a route from the starting location to the destination using the mobile device. Route information that details the established route may be stored in a database for subsequent display to other users. In some embodiments, a value total for each user may be stored, and value may be added to the user's value total in response to the user establishing the route from the starting location to the destination.

Abstract: Techniques for enabling members to learn about and interact with their social network via games are described. According to various embodiments, it is determined that a content item or entity associated with an online social network service is relevant to a member of the online social network service. An online game including a game question and a correct game answer is generated based on the content item or entity. The game question is then displayed to the member, and a member response to the displayed game question is received. Thereafter, a game result is displayed, and the member is enabled to interact with the content item or entity.

Abstract: In order to facilitate efficient storage and extraction of data, a system may represent a compound relationship in a graph stored in a graph database. In particular, the system (or a user) may define the compound relationship based on two or more predicates associated with two or more edges between two or more nodes in the graph. Then, the system may generate, in the graph, a hub node that corresponds to the compound relationship and that has an identifier that is hidden from users of the graph so that the identifier of the hub node is not visible external to the graph database. Moreover, the identifier of the hub node may be specified in a query using the two or more predicates, thereby allowing data associated with the compound relationship to be readily identified, modified and/or extracted.

Abstract: In order to request desired information from a graph database, a system executes a query against the graph database. The graph database may store a graph that includes nodes, edges between the nodes, and predicates to represent and store data with index-free adjacency. Moreover, the query may identify a first edge associated with a predicate that specifies one or more of the nodes in the graph. In response to the query, the system receives a result that includes a subset of the graph. Then, the system may verify the subset of the graph. In particular, the system may verify that the subset of the graph includes one or more particular edges, such as an edge with the predicate in the query. Furthermore, the system may verify that the subset of the graph includes data and/or associated structure in the portion of the graph.

Abstract: In order to request desired information from a graph database, a system executes a query against the graph database. The graph database may store a graph that includes nodes, edges between the nodes, and predicates to represent and store data with index-free adjacency. Moreover, the query may identify a first edge associated with a predicate that specifies one or more of the nodes in the graph. In response to the query, the system receives a result that includes a subset of the graph. Then, the system may use the result of the query in a concatenated set of queries. In particular, the system may execute a second query against the subset of the graph. Furthermore, in response to the second query, the system may receive a second result that includes a second subset of the graph.

Abstract: A statistically overrepresented token in the descriptions of users associated with a target entity may be descriptive of the target entity. This may be true regardless of whether a primary description of the entity includes the overrepresented token. Accordingly, the entity description machine may access multiple descriptions of multiple users associated with the target entity. A portion of the multiple descriptions may each include a token descriptive of the target entity and of a subset of the multiple users. The entity description machine may determine that the token is overrepresented among the tokens within the multiple descriptions and generate a supplemental description of the target entity, where the supplemental description includes the overrepresented token. Once the supplemental description is generated, the entity description machine may use the supplemental description in referencing the target entity.

Abstract: Techniques for allowing cross-document communication are provided. In one approach, a child document of a parent document communicates with another child document of the parent document. A child document may correspond to a frame element within the parent document. The communication may occur directly or indirectly through the parent document. In another approach, an ancestor document communicates with a descendant document that is two or more degrees of separation away from the ancestor document. The communication may occur directly or indirectly through one or more intermediate documents. In both approaches, one document may send out one or more discovery messages that request identities of sibling documents, descendant documents, or ancestor documents.

Abstract: A machine may implement a recommender that provides recommendations to users. The machine may be configured to present a first version of the recommender configured by various parameters. A user may submit a message to the machine, and the machine may identify a parameter among the various parameters by tokenizing the message and identifying the parameter among the tokens. The machine may then generate a second version of the recommender by modifying the parameter and configuring the second version according to the modified parameter. The machine may then present the first and second versions of the recommender contemporaneously two different portions of the users. By tokenizing a further message received from the users, the machine may evaluate the first and second versions and determine whether the second version is a replacement of the first version.

Abstract: Systems and methods for generating recommendations based on data derived from a social network are described. For example, a first indirect connection of a source member profile may be identified. The first indirect connection is a member profile connected to the source member through a first connection path. A second indirect connection of the source member profile is also identified. The second indirect connection is a member profile connected to the source member through a second connection path. A selection is made between the first indirect connection and the second indirect connection based on a comparison of timing scores calculated for the indirect connections. The selected indirect connection is then surfaced to a client device associated with the source member profile.

Abstract: Techniques for training a tokenizer (or word segmenter) are provided. In one technique, a tokenizer tokenizes a token string to identify individual tokens or words. A language model is generated based on the identified tokens or words. A vocabulary about an entity, such as a person or company, is identified. The vocabulary may be online data that refers to the entity, such as a news article or a profile page of a member of a social network. Some of the tokens in the vocabulary may be weighted higher than others. The language model accepts the weighted vocabulary as input and generates pseudo sentences. Alternatively, regular expressions are used to generate the pseudo sentences. The pseudo sentences are used to train the tokenizer.

Abstract: Techniques for managing software dependencies are described. For example, a dependency specification that pertains to a first product is accessed. The product may be a collection of artifacts and may provide a software functionality. A determination may be made, based on the dependency specification, that the first product has a dependency on a second product. Metadata pertaining to the second product may be accessed. A valid version of the second product may be identified based on the metadata. The valid version may be usable at build time of the first product.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method that includes receiving a request to generate an interface within a software application that is configured to play back one or more media files; for a first media file, generating an image representing a frame of the first media file; and causing the image to be displayed within the interface on a display device, where the image is configured to detect an event that causes a media player to be loaded into the software application behind the image.

Abstract: Techniques for predicting a user response to the e-mail content are described. According to various embodiments, member email interaction data associated with a particular member and email content data describing a particular email content item is accessed. The data is then encoded into one or more feature vectors and assembled to thereby generate an assembled feature vector. Thereafter, a prediction modeling process is performed, based on the assembled feature vector and a trained prediction model, to predict a likelihood of the particular member performing a particular user action on the particular email content item.

Abstract: In an embodiment, a system maintains a database of a plurality of persons. The database includes an audio clip of a pronunciation of a name of a first person in the database. The system determines from a calendar database that a second person has an event in common with the first person, and transmits to a device associated with the second person an indication that the database includes the pronunciation of the name of the first person.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for identifying a potential reference is disclosed. In one embodiment, a user interface (UI) object (e.g., a one-click reference search button) is provided, for example, on a web page displayed at a user's client device. When selected, the UI object causes a reference search query to be generated. The search query identifies the user performing the search, and a target person for whom the user would like a reference. The search query is communicated to, and processed by, a social networking system (e.g., through an API function call). In turn, the social networking system returns information about potential references to the client.

Abstract: A method for a computer system includes determining a first social distance for a first user with respect to a second user, determining a second social distance for a third user with respect to the second user, determining a first qualitative rating associated with the first user, determining a second qualitative rating associated with the second user, determining a first trust-metric for the first user in response to the first social distance and the first qualitative rating, determining a second trust-metric for the third user in response to the second social distance and the second qualitative rating, and prioritizing a first listing from the first user over a second listing from the third user for the second user, in response to the first trust-metric and the second trust-metric.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a system that manages access to resource versions in a shared computing environment. Routing data including locations of the resource versions is used to route a request to a resource version in the shared computing environment. For an application that is implemented by a set of resources, the routing data and the request is used to execute the application using an alternative version of a resource that is under test and default versions of other resources that are not under test.

Abstract: In order to facilitate the requesting of desired information from a graph database that stores a graph, a system may translate an initial query into a query that can be executed against the graph database. In particular, using primitives, the system may translate a query associated with a type of database (such as a relational database) into the query. The graph may include nodes, edges between the nodes, and predicates to represent and store data with index-free adjacency. Moreover, the primitives may include: a rule based on edges in the graph that expresses a relational schema in the type of database, and information associated with a compound key that specifies a relationship between nodes, edges and predicates in the graph corresponding to a table in the type of database. Then, the system may execute the query against the graph database, and may receive a result that includes a subset of the graph.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments provide a reputation system. The reputation system includes a ranking apparatus that obtains a set of reputation scores for one or more dimensions of a set of items in the reputation system and generates a ranking of the items based on the reputation scores and the one or more quantiles. The reputation system also includes a query-processing apparatus that obtains a query comprising the one or more dimensions and one or more quantiles associated with the one or more dimensions and provides the ranking in a response to the query.

Abstract: In order to facilitate access to relevant information, a system may determine topics that are of interest based on skills of users in a social network of users and annotations associated with content in the social network. Then, the system may identify experts knowledgeable about the topics among the users in the social network. These experts may be invited to aggregate and edit the topic content. For a given topic, the system may provide, to a subset of the experts, documents with suggested topic content and presentation formats for the topics. Based on feedback from the subset of the experts (such as modifications to one or more of the documents and/or the presentation formats), the system may modify or revise the documents.

Abstract: A system, method, and apparatus are provided for organizing and joining massive sets of data (e.g., tens or hundreds of millions of event records). A dataset is Blocked by first identifying a partition key, which comprises one or more columns of the data. Each Block will contain all dataset records that have partition key values assigned to that Block. A cost constraint (e.g., a maximum size, a maximum number of records) may also be applied to the Blocks. A Block index is generated to identify all Blocks, their corresponding (sequential) partition key values, and their locations. A second dataset that includes the partition key column(s) and that must be correlated with the first dataset may then be Blocked according to the same ranges of partition key values (but without the cost constraint). Corresponding Blocks of the datasets may then be Joined/Aggregated, and analyzed as necessary.

Abstract: The disclosed embodiments relate to a system for tracking and analyzing user interactions with a mobile user interface (UI). During operation, the system collects data while a user interacts with the mobile UI through a touchscreen, wherein the data includes tap-attempt data that specifies coordinates for touchscreen locations that the user has tapped while interacting with the mobile UI. Next, the system compares the tap-attempt data with locations of tappable elements in the mobile UI, wherein each tappable element has an associated tap target size. For each tappable element, the system uses results of the comparison to determine a percentage of tap attempts that have succeeded or failed for the associated tap target size. Finally, the system makes the percentage information available to a UI designer to enable the UI designer to adjust tap target sizes for the mobile UI.

Abstract: As part of a query-processing technique, in response to receiving queries for information stored in a distributed storage system and associated query-processing information identifying sets of predefined operations to perform on one or more databases in the distributed storage system, the distributed storage system accesses sets of predefined operations. Then, for the sets of predefined operations on the one or more databases, the distributed storage system uses one or more adaptors for multiple storage subsystems in the distributed storage system and one or more indexes corresponding to collections of information in the one or more databases. Moreover, the distributed storage system executes the sets of predefined operations on the multiple storage subsystems to obtain results for the queries. The sets of predefined operations may be defined by different users, so that the distributed storage system can be adapted to these users' needs.

Abstract: In an example embodiment, a message comprising location information indicating a geographic location of a first user device is received. Then environmental information indicating at least one physical environmental condition in the vicinity of the first user device, as detected by an environmental sensor is received. Values representing logical connection strengths between first user of the first user device and other users, the logical connection strengths based, at least partially, on the location information and at least partially on the environmental information, are calculated. Then a second user and a third user to form a group with the first user are determined, based on the values representing the logical connection strengths. A user group is formed containing the first user, the second user, and the third user. Content is received from the first user device and transmitted to users of the user group.

Abstract: Method, apparatus, and a computer-readable storage device for determining similarities. A plurality of sets having social network service members as entities is constructed by associating each of the social network service members with each of a predetermined selection of professional outcomes by school of graduation of the member. One of the plurality of sets is selected. A similarity algorithm calculates the similarity score of at least some of the plurality of sets in the plurality of sets to the selected one of the plurality of sets, and presents for rendering the k sets in the plurality of sets with the highest similarity scores. The similarity algorithm used may be a cosine similarity algorithm using the sets as vectors.

Abstract: Techniques for enforcing software reviews are described. For example, a commit request to commit code to a repository is received. In response to receiving the commit request, an ownership file is accessed in the repository based on the commit request. The ownership file includes a directory identifier of a directory of the repository and an identifier of an owner who controls committing of code to the directory. A determination is made, based on the ownership file, that the owner did not provide an indication of approval of the code requested to be committed to the repository. A review of the code is facilitated, based on the determination that the owner did not provide the indication of approval.

Abstract: Methods, systems and computer program products are provided for generating a feasibility score for a job search and for generating a suggestion for enhancing the score. In one method, one or more computing devices receive, over a network, a data object that is associated with a user who is engaged in a search for employment. The data object includes a résumé of the user and a requirement that is associated with the search. The computers calculate, based on the data object, a score that indicates a likelihood of receiving an offer for an employment position that satisfies the requirement. The computers generate a suggestion that identifies how the score may be increased. The computers send the suggestion over the network to a computing device of the user.