Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for targeting advertising information transmitted over the Internet. The method involves creating a user profile and transmitting an agent and ad banner from a content provider to a target computer. At the target computer, information is collected and transmitted from the target computer to the content provider. The content provider filters the information to create relevant data. The content provider then munges the relevant data into a user specific database and selects new content for transmission over the Internet based on the new user specific database.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for targeting advertising information transmitted over the Internet. The method involves creating a user profile and transmitting an agent and ad banner from a content provider to a target computer. At the target computer, information is collected and transmitted from the target computer to the content provider. The content provider filters the information to create relevant data. The content provider then munges the relevant data into a user specific database and selects new content for transmission over the Internet based on the new user specific database.

Abstract: A computer implemented method for generating results information, wherein the results information is utilized to provide intelligent content from a provider to a user. In one embodiment, the method collects relevant data from a user, from the user's computer, and from a provider. The embodiment of the method then generates the results information from the relevant data specifying which content from a provider is relevant to a user. The embodiment then downloads content from the provider in accordance with the results information.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and apparatus for targeting advertising information transmitted over the Internet. The method involves creating a user profile and transmitting an agent and ad banner from a content provider to a target computer. At the target computer, information is collected and transmitted from the target computer to the content provider. The content provider filters the information to create relevant data. The content provider then munges the relevant data into a user specific database and selects new content for transmission over the Internet based on the new user specific database.

Abstract: A method for setting up viewing of a file on a computer system is disclosed. According to the method, a file type of the file is determined. It is determined whether a viewer that supports the file type is installed on the computer system. The computer system interfaces with a server. If the viewer is not installed on the computer system, the computer system obtains a location of the viewer and downloads the viewer from the location. If the viewer is installed on the computer system, a version identifier of the viewer on the computer system is determined and compared with a version identifier of a current version of the viewer on the server. The current version of the viewer is downloaded to the computer system if the version identifier of the current version of the viewer is more recent than the version identifier of the viewer on the computer system.

Abstract: A method is described for generating a digital checksum signature for a collection of data. According to the method, a first operation is performed on the collection of data to generate a first encoded result. The first encoded result is used to define a first portion of the digital checksum signature. A second operation is performed on the collection of data to generate a second encoded result. The second encoded result is used to define a second portion of the digital checksum signature.

Abstract: The present invention is an apparatus and method of providing notification of a content change of a web page. The method includes the steps of transmitting a request from a first electronic system to a second electronic system for a quotient value indicative of the content change, transmitting the quotient value from the second electronic system to the first electronic system, comparing the quotient value to a predetermined value to determine whether a threshold is triggered, and notifying the first electronic system of the content change if the threshold is triggered.