Abstract: A method, system, and computer program product for managing at least one work flow in a distributed system are disclosed. The method includes receiving a notification from a central storage system identifying a participant's information processing system as at least one participant in at least one workflow. The at least one workflow is analyzed to determine if at least one step of the workflow is currently executable at the participant's information processing system. The step is executed in response to determining that the step is currently executable at the participant's information processing system. Workflow update information is transmitted to the central storage system for association with the workflow.

Abstract: A method, apparatus, and computer program product for graphically presenting compatible workflow steps to a user through a graphical user interface are disclosed. The method includes graphically displaying a plurality of steps in a workflow. A user's selection for at least one step in a plurality of steps to denote at least one selected step and at least one non-selected step is received. The method further includes determining if a set of one or more output parameters of the selected step is acceptable as an input of the non-selected step. An appearance of the non-selected step is graphically changed if the output parameters are acceptable. The method also includes determining if a set of one or more output parameters of the non-selected step is acceptable as an input of the selected step. An appearance of the non-selected step is graphically changed if the output parameters are acceptable.

Abstract: Documents (web pages) are linked together preferably by Semantic Web links. A pages value is determined in part according to the number of links that link to it. The contribution of a link to the pages value is determined based on a user's accessibility of the page having the link. Accordingly page ‘A’ is linked to page ‘B’ wherein page ‘A’ is linked to by ‘x’ pages and page ‘B.’ is linked to by ‘y’ pages. The page value of page ‘A’ to page ‘B’ in determining page ‘B's rank is based in part on the number of qualified users having access to page ‘A’ as well as the number of links ‘x’ linking to page ‘A’.

Abstract: Semantically linked pages are queried based on a user supplied interest vector. The interest vector provides a weight for presenting results from the query of pages. The interest vectors are used to calculate the importance of pages of a query based on the weight of semantic links associated with the page known as page rank indicators. Optionally, the calculation is augmented by other page ranking algorithms. An indication of the resulting pages is displayed according to the calculated importance. Preferably the calculation utilizes a dot product of page rank and user interest vectors.

Abstract: Semantic Web attributes are transmitted via an electronic message such as an email message. The attributes are extracted from the message by a program agent according to a predetermined plan. The extracted attributes are saved in storage wherein the storage is optionally an annotation store.

Abstract: An Event Manager receives events requiring action. The events are parsed into event action types which are placed in an Event Queue. Program agents in a pool of agents are dynamicly instantiated and retired from the pool based on the number of queued events by type. Program agents, when available, initiate a search for a work entry on the Event Queue that is of a type that the agent can handle. When an agent finds work, the corresponding Event Queue entry is marked as assigned to the agent and the agent performs the action associated with the work entry.