Abstract: Systems and methods for integrating business promotional material with voice calling are described. The business sponsors a customer to sign up for an outgoing calling account with a promotional calling service provider company. The service provider identifies an user as a customer of the sponsor and therefore assigns one dedicated speed dial extension to connect directly to the sponsor. Other frequently called numbers are stored in a phone book at other speed dial locations. Sponsor gets to promote themselves to the sponsored user when the user sets up/maintains his/her online account or makes a call.

Abstract: A system described herein includes a receiver component that receives a request to create a persistent messaging group for an instant messaging application, wherein the request includes an indication of one or more entities that are desired to be members of the persistent messaging group. The system further includes a group creator component that creates the persistent messaging group based at least in part upon the received group creation request, wherein the persistent messaging group is persisted over multiple instant messaging sessions.

Abstract: Described is a technology by which a social networking service is integrated with merchandising data (e.g., a wish list and/or registry) corresponding to a person registered with a merchandising website. The social networking service maintains buddy lists, and social networking service application provides a mechanism to obtain the merchandising data for buddies that are registered with a merchandising website. The buddy list also may be used to provide a notification upon a change to the merchandising data, to facilitate collaboration among buddies in making a joint purchase, and/or to advertise a product or service to one or more entities (e.g., individuals or groups) associated with the buddy list, including the owner of the list. End users can customize who can see what merchandising data regarding themselves. End users can also interact with accessible merchandising data, e.g., click on a buddy's wish list link to buy from a corresponding shopping site.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient application oriented security model. Prior to execution, an application is authenticated, and security information associated with the application is retrieved. The security information is then used to generate a token that is attached to the application. The security information may include a principle account associated with the application, a list of group accounts, and a corresponding privilege list.

Abstract: Functionality is described for collecting data from a presence-based system, such as an instant messaging system. The functionality can extract information from the collected data based on one or more rules. For instance, the functionality can identify presence data and/or message data that includes predetermined key words. The functionality can formulate result information based on the extracted information for presentation to a recipient. Based on these operations, the collected data supports a data-mining operation, as well as the traditional role of facilitating communication among the participants of the presence-based system. The result information can correspond to a report that presents aggregated findings, optionally organized into one or more demographic categories, or the result information can correspond to an advertisement, etc.

Abstract: Described techniques enable a particular user to automatically share a piece of content with a group of users. To share the content, the particular user navigates to a Website or the like to identify the desired piece of content. The particular user then chooses to share the piece of content by actuating a button, an icon, or the like displayed within the content (e.g., Web content) or displayed within the browser's toolbar. In some embodiments, the users with whom the piece of content is then shared each include the particular user within a contact list. This document also describes techniques capable of enabling the particular user to allow a third party to select and share a piece of content. In some instances, the piece of content comprises an advertisement. This piece of content may be shared with a group of users that include the particular user as a contact.

Abstract: Methods and systems provide an operating system-based user authentication service that operates independently of a computing device or software application requiring verification of a user's identity to operate the device or utilize functionality of the software application. A given software application for providing functionality to a user or for allowing a user to operate a desired computing device calls the operating system-based authentication service for verifying the user's identity to use the software application functionality or to operate the desired computing device. If the user's identity is verified by the authentication service, the application is notified, and the user is allowed to operate the device or utilize the desired application functionality.

Abstract: The present invention provides an efficient application oriented security model. Prior to execution, an application is authenticated, and security information associated with the application is retrieved. The security information is then used to generate a token that is attached to the application. The security information may include a principle account associated with the application, a list of group accounts, and a corresponding privilege list.

Abstract: Dynamic sizing of packets of data is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a client and a server. The client receives packets of dynamic size, the client having a bandwidth. The server determines the dynamic size of the packets based on at least one factor. One such factor is the bandwidth of the client. The server sends the packets to the client.

Abstract: Dynamic sizing of packets of data is disclosed. In one embodiment, a system includes a client and a server. The client receives packets of dynamic size, the client having a bandwidth. The server determines the dynamic size of the packets based on at least one factor. One such factor is the bandwidth of the client. The server sends the packets to the client.

Abstract: A method and system for adding a secured network server to an existing network for access by a client thereof, wherein the added server does not possess a database of authentication credentials. The client is first authenticated for access to the added server by passing authentication requests received from the client to an authenticating agent having a database of authentication credentials, which may include information from a bindery comprising users, groups and passwords. The responses from the authenticating agent are then evaluated, and if the response indicates validity, the client is the granted access to the added server. Database services are provided to the authenticated client by first evaluating database requests received from the client. Requests seeking information maintained by the authenticating agent are handled by passing the requests to the authenticating agent and using its response to reply to the client.