Abstract: Social information, including computer communication information, is modeled according to a network approach, and users are provided with representations of patterns within their social spaces and graphical interface tools for navigating through the spaces. This can enhance the user's ability to seek out social information and manage their online social relationships. The social mapping includes automatically collecting computer communication information relating to multiple contacts who are in computer communication with each other, one of the multiple contacts being a selected user. The computer communication information is filtered according to one or more preselected criteria to maintain the number of contacts associated with the selected user at or below a selected threshold. The computer communication information is analyzed to determine extents of similarity between the multiple contacts.

Abstract: An operating system shell provides on a display screen a graphical user interface through which a user interacts with the operating system. The operating system shell provides a background noisy display rendered on the display screen in accordance with a background physical lighting model, and an ambient notification rendered over at least a portion of the background noisy display to provide a user notification. The ambient notification is rendered in accordance with an ambient notification physical lighting model that is different from the background physical lighting model.

Abstract: A database query user interface combines the user convenience of simple text searching with the expressive refinements of powerful query language. The database query user interface includes a query text string input from a user including one or more terms of a chunk expression language format. The database query user interface further includes a syntactical prompt for constructing a multi-element chunk expression language database query that is syntactically correct and complete and includes the text string input from the user. For example, the syntactical prompt is selected from the database based upon a weighted analysis of database information relating to database elements included in the text string input from the user. A database query formed according to the present user interface may then be persisted or stored as a database query object.

Abstract: A computer-based narration assembly system and method provide an environment analogous to in-person sharing of photographs by utilizing spontaneous verbal narration or story-telling, together with manual indications by the story-teller of significant or relevant image portions. The system combines the verbal narration with automatic cinematic display manipulations that relate to the manual indications by the story-teller to form a multimedia production or “movie” from the display images. The cinematic display manipulations may include pans, zooms, fades, etc. that animate the display of the images and transitions between them.

Abstract: A computer-based narration assembly system and method provide an environment analogous to in-person sharing of photographs by utilizing spontaneous verbal narration or story-telling, together with manual indications by the story-teller of significant or relevant image portions. The system combines the verbal narration with automatic cinematic display manipulations that relate to the manual indications by the story-teller to form a multimedia production or “movie” from the display images. The cinematic display manipulations may include pans, zooms, fades, etc. that animate the display of the images and transitions between them.

Abstract: An operating system shell provides on a display screen a graphical user interface through which a user interacts with the operating system. The operating system shell provides a background noisy display rendered on the display screen in accordance with a background physical lighting model, and an ambient notification rendered over at least a portion of the background noisy display to provide a user notification. The ambient notification is rendered in accordance with an ambient notification physical lighting model that is different from the background physical lighting model.

Abstract: An operating system shell has an underlying desktop object that is rendered according to different views. The operating system shell renders on a display screen a desktop graphical user interface with windows, tools, icons, etc. that are within a segment of the desktop object that can be observed (i.e., rendered) from one of the views. In illustrated implementations, the desktop object is of an extent that is greater than can be rendered from a single view. Allowing a user to select or access different views of the desktop object effectively provides an extended desktop that overcomes the fixed and limited display capabilities of conventional operating system shells.

Abstract: Social information, including computer communication information, is modeled according to a network approach, and users are provided with representations of patterns within their social spaces and graphical interface tools for navigating through the spaces. This can enhance the user's ability to seek out social information and manage their online social relationships. The social mapping includes automatically collecting computer communication information relating to multiple contacts who are in computer communication with each other, one of the multiple contacts being a selected user. The computer communication information is filtered according to one or more preselected criteria to maintain the number of contacts associated with the selected user at or below a selected threshold. The computer communication information is analyzed to determine extents of similarity between the multiple contacts.

Abstract: A computer system models human memory by deriving associations between objects, events, and the context of the computer user or users. These associations can be dynamically generated, changing depending on the behavior of the user and context. Examples of areas in which this system can be used include time management (e.g., a calendar that presents time-based groupings of objects), people management (e.g., use analysis of user communications to rank importance of people to the user, groupings, and associations between people/groups and other objects such as documents, email), and general computer management (e.g., use analysis of user behavior to identify important objects and objects that are related to a current focus and context of the computer user).

Abstract: A calendar-based interface system accommodates innate human memory by associating computer-related events, and other events, based upon when they occur. The calendar user interface system utilizes a calendar as a top-level user interface for accessing computer information. The calendar-based interface system utilizes system-wide monitoring of the user and associations between various computer files, people, and other information related to the user. This allows a user to view and assign searchable metadata (e.g., metadata relating to associated dates) and to retrieve computer information that matches selected metadata.

Abstract: A computer-based narration assembly system and method provide an environment analogous to in-person sharing of photographs by utilizing spontaneous verbal narration or story-telling, together with manual indications by the story-teller of significant or relevant image portions. The system combines the verbal narration with automatic cinematic display manipulations that relate to the manual indications by the story-teller to form a multimedia production or “movie” from the display images. The cinematic display manipulations may include pans, zooms, fades, etc. that animate the display of the images and transitions between them.

Abstract: A graphical interface for visually specifying the behavior of combinations of finite-state and continuous-state actors. The state of an actor may be controlled by the states of other actors. The motion of continuous-state actors is constrained by functions represented as, and analogous to, grooves, sockets, pins, glue, springs, and boxes. These functions may be represented graphically on the actor so that the system of constraints is readily ascertainable to the user.