Abstract: A system for creating programs with gestures with a touch computer having a touch display, a plurality of actions preloaded on the touch computer for execution by the touch computer when triggered, a trigger received by the touch computer, software executing on the touch computer for associating the trigger with a corresponding one of the plurality of actions, text received by the software, text combinable with the triggers by the software into a program, a plurality of elements and operations components available to the touch computer for inclusion in the program, software executing on the touch computer for displaying a menu with a section for associating a gesture received by the touch display with a property of at least one element, wherein the gesture is a horizontal movement of the section relative to the touch display, a central computer in communication with the touch computer, and the central computer connected to the Internet to make the program available to authorized users.

Abstract: Improved scanning of digital video programs is provided for by adjusting scanning rates according to the length of the video program and/or the length of the remaining portion of the video program to be scanned. Shorter video programs are scanned at a slower speed, and longer video programs at a faster speed. In alternate embodiments, scanning speed is based in part on the length of the portion of the video program remaining to be scanned. Thus, when scanning in a video program a forward direction (“fast forward”) when only a given amount of the program remains to be scanned, the scanning speed is slowed. The amount of the program may be determined either according to a fixed length or relative to the length of the entire program. Additionally, in some embodiments, different scanning techniques are used based on the length of the video program being scanned or the length of the video program portion remaining to be scanned.