Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to response subscriptions and provide a method, system and computer program product for centralized response tracking across social networks. In one embodiment of the invention, a social networking response tracking method can be provided. The method can include associating subscribers with a user or a group of users based upon a posting by the user or a user in the group of users within a centralized response tracking system, aggregating different postings from the user to correspondingly different forums disposed about a global computer communications network within the centralized response tracking system, and, notifying the subscribers of the aggregated postings from the centralized response tracking system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon an organizational relationship between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon an application interaction relationship between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon a temporal factor between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to response subscriptions and provide a method, system and computer program product for response tracking across social networks. In one embodiment of the invention, a social networking response tracking method can be provided. The method can be performed by client-side logic and can include associating subscribers with a user or a group of users based upon a posting by the user or a user in the group of users within a client computing device for the user, aggregating different postings from the user to correspondingly different forums disposed about a global computer communications network, and, notifying the subscribers of the aggregated postings.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon a social networking relationship between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to collaborative computing and provide a method, system and computer program product for deriving and communicating attention spans in a collaborative computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, an attention span management method can be provided for a collaborative computing environment. The method can include monitoring computer activity for a collaborator to a collaboration, computing an attention span based upon the monitored computing activity, and generating an alert in the collaboration if the attention span crosses a threshold boundary indicating an unacceptable level of distraction for the collaboration.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to instant messaging and provide a method, system and computer program product for instant messenger based social introductions. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for instant messaging based social introductions can be provided. The method can include selecting contacts from a buddy list of an instant messenger, retrieving attributes for each of the selected contacts, and generating introduction text for each of the selected contacts. Specifically, the introduction text can introduce a particular one of the selected contacts and can incorporate attributes for the particular one of the contacts. Finally, the method can include instant messaging the introduction text for each of the selected contacts to another of the selected contacts.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to collaborative computing and provide a method, system and computer program product for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment can be provided. The method can include identifying a subject user and corresponding workspace in the collaborative environment, locating a related user within a directory for the subject user, retrieving a workspace configuration for the related user, and applying the workspace configuration to the corresponding workspace of the subject user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to collaborative computing and provide a method, system and computer program product for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment can be provided. The method can include identifying a subject user and corresponding workspace in the collaborative environment, locating within a social network a related user for the subject user, retrieving a workspace configuration for the related user, and applying the workspace configuration to the corresponding workspace of the subject user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to presence awareness for instant messaging and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for adaptive instant messaging awareness. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for adaptive instant messaging awareness can be provided. The method can include overriding an instant messaging system presence awareness do not disturb state for a user of an instant messenger in the instant messaging system in response to determining a contemporaneously calendared event for the user.

Abstract: A user interface (UI), which reflects exchanges in the past and the future between a user and entities. The UI includes a background having a user defined granularity, a plurality of dots, which each represent at least one collaborative exchange of a user and which are each arranged on the background, a graphic connection between any two or more dots which each represent exchanges between the user and similar entities, a first graphic which includes first level information, and a second graphic which includes second level information. For any set of one or more dots which each represent exchanges between the user and similar entities, the dot closest to or within the central area includes a graphical identifier that indicates whether the entity is currently available for a new exchange.

Abstract: A system for allowing multiple users to access and unlock shared electronic documents in a computer system. A group of users are defined as potential “lock-breaker” users for a document, such that they are automatically contacted in the event that a user wishes to unlock the document after it has been locked by another user. The lock-breaker users defined for a document are given access rights to the document that allow them to break a current lock on the document, so that it can be opened for editing, and accordingly re-locked. The lock-breaker users for a document may be organized in a hierarchy, such as a hierarchy matching the relationships of employees of an organization. The lock-breaker hierarchy may define the order in which the lock-breaker users are automatically contacted when a user wishes to access a locked document (e.g. an LDAP directory tree or social network).

Abstract: Within exemplary embodiments of the present invention repeating calendar event scheduling application options are implemented to support the implementation of a distraction-free meeting event. This aspect is accomplished by the calendar event invitation specifically stating that the meeting is expected to be distraction free, and as such, the acceptance of a meeting invitation would require that the meeting invitee submit to the computing system suspension requirements that are necessitated to initiate a distraction-free meeting. This meeting policy is enforced by the calendar event scheduling application being configured to effectively suspend the local activity of a computing system or incoming and outgoing communication requests that are received at the computing system.

Abstract: A system and method, where messages which are exchanged in email, provide recipients (and originators) with the capability to confirm authenticity. A substring of a message is examined, is validated and, if any modifications have been made, the modifications are highlighted to the originator and the receivers so that the originator and the receivers know that the original message has been modified. Also, the system and method of the present invention preserve the time, date and identity of the maker of the modifications.

Abstract: A method and system for filtering instant messages. The instant messages can be received and filtered using multi-factor rules. The multi-factor rules can be associated with a recipient profile.

Abstract: A user interface (UI), which reflects exchanges in the past and the future between a user and entities. The UI includes a background having a user defined granularity, a plurality of dots, which can represent at least one collaborative exchange of a user and which are each arranged on the background, a graphic connection between any two or more dots which each represent exchanges between the user and similar entities, a first graphic which includes first level information, and a second graphic which includes second level information. For any set of one or more dots which each represent exchanges between the user and similar entities, the dot closest to or within the central area includes a graphical identifier that indicates whether the entity is currently available for a new exchange.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to arbitrating polling results and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for collaborative arbitration of polling results in a collaborative environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for collaborative arbitration of polling results in a collaborative environment can be provided. The method can include placing a poll within a message and sending the message to a select group of collaborators in the collaborative environment. The method further can include receiving poll results from a collaborator in the select group in a reply to the message, extracting the poll results from the reply and placing the poll within a new message along with the extracted poll results. Thereafter, the new message can be sent to the select group.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message response management and provide a method, system and computer program product for motivating and de-motivating message responses. In one embodiment of the invention, a message reply motivation and de-motivation method can be provided. The method can include composing a message, addressing the message to at least one addressee, associating a reply preference specifying whether or not a recipient is to reply to the message, and forwarding the reply preference to the addressee. Upon receipt, the message can be displayed in a message viewer, and any reply preference for the message can be analyzed to determine if the reply preference specifies whether or not to reply to the message. Thereafter, the reply preference can be applied in the message viewer.

Abstract: A system for eliminating the time lost in initial stages of a Web conference due to participants not being in-place on-time is disclosed. The system enables automatic steps to be taken at the server to pull conference participants into a conference based on their acceptance of an invitation to the conference. A server system provides indications of confirmed conference participants to agent software on the client systems, and activates client side agents when the a conference is about to start. The Web conference server communicates relevant conference information to each client side agent. The agent launches the user's client side browser and automatically performs any other preliminary steps that are required to join the participant to the conference. The participant user may be presented with a user interface that enables them to either accept or reject the automatic login to the conference. If the user rejects the automatic login, then indication of this rejection is passed to the server.