Abstract: Techniques are provided for early processing of a part of a user input to produce a response to the entire or final user input. While the user input is being received, a partial user input, which is a part of the final user input, is processed to produce a response. The response is a candidate response for the final user input. After the final user input is received, and if the partial user input is determined to match or be equivalent to the final user input, the first response, which is already available, is provided to one or more output devices for presentation. If the final user input is determined to differ from the partial user input, the final user input is processed to produce a second response to the final user input, and the second response is provided for presentation. In some instances, multiple partial user inputs are received and processed.

Abstract: Implementing people as operating system level objects. A method includes, for a user logged in to an operating system, identifying a person with a relationship to the user. For the person, the method further includes identifying information, including information that can be used to communication with the person. The method further includes storing the information related to the person in a data store that is a global data store with respect to the operating system such that the information related to the person can be accessed at the operating system level. The method further includes using the information related to the person stored in the data store to identify applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person. The method further includes displaying in a user interface for the person an enumeration of applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for presenting notifications on a user interface presentation of a recipient computing device. The technique is considered tiered because it distinguishes between first-type (people-centric) notifications and second-type notifications, and because it processes and presents first-type notifications in a privileged manner compared to the second-type notifications. For instance, the technique presents content associated with each first-type notification in an allocated window that appears in positional association with a person indicator, where that person indicator identifies the person who sent the first-type notification; the technique presents each second-type notification in a different manner. In some implementations, an application developer who designs a custom first-type notification is given authority to draw within the allocated window that is used to present the custom first-type notification in a manner specified by the application developer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for presenting notifications on a user interface presentation of a recipient computing device. The technique is considered tiered because it distinguishes between first-type (people-centric) notifications and second-type notifications, and because it processes and presents first-type notifications in a privileged manner compared to the second-type notifications. For instance, the technique presents content associated with each first-type notification in an allocated window that appears in positional association with a person indicator, where that person indicator identifies the person who sent the first-type notification; the technique presents each second-type notification in a different manner. In some implementations, an application developer who designs a custom first-type notification is given authority to draw within the allocated window that is used to present the custom first-type notification in a manner specified by the application developer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for presenting notifications on a user interface presentation of a recipient computing device. The technique is considered tiered because it distinguishes between first-type (people-centric) notifications and second-type notifications, and because it processes and presents first-type notifications in a privileged manner compared to the second-type notifications. For instance, the technique presents content associated with each first-type notification in an allocated window that appears in positional association with a person indicator, where that person indicator identifies the person who sent the first-type notification; the technique presents each second-type notification in a different manner. In some implementations, an application developer who designs a custom first-type notification is given authority to draw within the allocated window that is used to present the custom first-type notification in a manner specified by the application developer.

Abstract: A computer-implemented technique is described herein for presenting notifications on a user interface presentation of a recipient computing device. The technique is considered tiered because it distinguishes between first-type (people-centric) notifications and second-type notifications, and because it processes and presents first-type notifications in a privileged manner compared to the second-type notifications. For instance, the technique presents content associated with each first-type notification in an allocated window that appears in positional association with a person indicator, where that person indicator identifies the person who sent the first-type notification; the technique presents each second-type notification in a different manner. In some implementations, an application developer who designs a custom first-type notification is given authority to draw within the allocated window that is used to present the custom first-type notification in a manner specified by the application developer.

Abstract: Implementing people as operating system level objects. A method includes, for a user logged in to an operating system, identifying a person with a relationship to the user. For the person, the method further includes identifying information, including information that can be used to communication with the person. The method further includes storing the information related to the person in a data store that is a global data store with respect to the operating system such that the information related to the person can be accessed at the operating system level. The method further includes using the information related to the person stored in the data store to identify applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person. The method further includes displaying in a user interface for the person an enumeration of applications or services that can be used to communicate with the person.

Abstract: Contextual help is provided in an unobtrusive manner. The optimum point in time for displaying a help notification is determined by triggers associated with each help notification. The triggers may take into account various factors, such as the action currently being performed by the user, whether the tip has been presented to the user before, the user's past experience with the feature, and so forth.

Abstract: Contextual help is provided in an unobtrusive manner. The optimum point in time for displaying a help notification is determined by triggers associated with each help notification.