Abstract: A system that enables a user to indicate time zones in their electronic calendar for corresponding time periods in the future, and that makes the future time zone information it collects available for scheduling purposes, so that free time can be correctly determined even for frequently traveling users. The disclosed system further automatically provides indications to the user when input future free time information creates local times for previously scheduled calendar events that are outside of the user's regular working hours.

Abstract: A system for preventing on-line violations of open meeting regulations and similar laws, in which one or more special classes of users are defined for an electronic communication system. The definition of each special class may include quorum requirements, including the number of group members that make up a quorum for that special class. Users identified as members of special classes may be reminded of the restrictions on communications using the communication system arising from that special class membership. When a user composes a message for posting or sending through the communication system, the user's identity is checked to determine whether they are a member of a restricted special class. If the user is a member of a special class, a determination is made as to whether posting or sending the message would violate any legal restrictions associated with that special class.

Abstract: A system for preventing on-line violations of open meeting regulations and similar laws, in which one or more special classes of users are defined for an electronic communication system. Special class definitions include the number of group members that make a quorum for each special class. If a user is a special class member, a determination is made as to whether posting or sending a message being composed would violate any legal restrictions associated with that special class such as a serial quorum based on a total number of special class members that would be participants in the communication to which the message would be added, if the message were in fact conveyed. If the number of special class members that would be participants in the communication if the message were conveyed reaches the special class quorum, the message is rejected, and prevented from entry into the communication system.

Abstract: A system for preventing on-line violations of open meeting regulations and similar laws, in which one or more special classes of users are defined for an electronic communication system. The definition of each special class may include quorum requirements, including the number of group members that make up a quorum for that special class. Users are registered to use the communication system, and indications are stored as to whether each user is a member of a special class. Users identified as members of special classes may be reminded of the restrictions on communications using the communication system arising from that special class membership. When a user composes a message for posting or sending through the communication system, the user's identity is checked to determine whether they are a member of a restricted special class.

Abstract: A method, system and apparatus for selective commenting in an e-mail message. A selective commenting method can include the steps of designating two or more recipients for an e-mail message, and selecting a subset of recipients from among the designated recipients. A comment to the e-mail message can be composed and the e-mail message can be transmitted to the designated recipients. Importantly, the comment can be included with the transmission only for the selected subset. In this regard, the including step can include the step of embedding the comment in the e-mail message. To that end, the including step further can include the step of visually formatting the comment to be distinct from a remainder of the e-mail message. Alternatively, the including step further can include the step of demarcating the comment so as to distinguish the comment from a remainder of the e-mail message.