Abstract: A system and method for providing visual keyboard guides according to a programmable set of keys are provided. With the mechanisms of the illustrative embodiments, a user may select for which keys of a keyboard the user wishes to receive visual guides on a display of a data processing device associated with the keyboard. Thereafter, when the user's fingers are in proximity to keys of the keyboard, a comparison of the keys in proximity to the user's instrument to the keys for which visual guides are to be provided is made. If the keys in proximity to the user's instrument match keys for which visual guides are to be provided, a visual guide is displayed on the display of the data processing device. A graphical user interface may be provided to the user for setting which keys are to have associated visual guides.

Abstract: An auto-complete controller monitors a window including an auto-complete box for at least one content element of the window. Responsive to detecting the user selection to fill in the auto-complete box, the auto-complete controller accesses a list of selectable entries for filling in the auto-complete box. In addition, the auto-complete controller accesses at least one rule specifying order of the list of selectable entries based on a detected content element. The auto-complete controller reorders the list of selectable entries for output in association with the auto-complete box with a most likely candidate listed first based on the rule specifying order of the list of selectable entries based on the detected content element.

Abstract: A method for retrieving image data includes: inputting a query for image data into a communications infrastructure; communicating the query to a plurality of communications devices, the plurality of communications devices providing the image data to the communications infrastructure; and retrieving the image data from the communications infrastructure. A system and a computer program product for implementing the method are provided.

Abstract: A financial transaction system detects an identifier for a user requesting a financial transaction at an interface of the financial transaction system. The financial transactions system accesses from the electronic message service provider for the user using the identifier, at least one electronic message addressed to the user and sent to the user over a network for delivery to the user by the electronic message service provider at least one system accessible via the network and logged into using the identifier. The accessed electronic message is delivered to the user at the interface for the financial transaction system.

Abstract: A method of data processing includes detecting insertion of a uniform resource locator (URL) into text of a document of an application program. In response to detecting insertion of the URL, a web page corresponding to the URL is accessed, and a title of the web page is determined. The URL is then replaced with a textual string derived from the title in place of the URL in the text of the document.

Abstract: A portable communication device detects a current speed of travel of the portable communication device independent of any vehicle temporarily transporting the portable communication device. A speed based setting controller of the portable communication device compares the current speed to at least one threshold value set at the portable communication device. Responsive to the current speed exceeding the threshold value, the speed based setting controller automatically assigns a separate speed based setting to a current setting for each feature assigned to the threshold value, wherein each current setting for each feature designates the operability of that feature within the portable communication device, such that the current setting for each feature adjusts with a speed of travel as detected by the portable communication device.

Abstract: In response to a user marking a plurality of regions within a document of the application program, the application establishes a corresponding plurality of sections of the document including at least a first section and second section. In response to user selection of one or more toolbars from among a plurality of toolbars available within the application program, the application associates a first customized toolbar view with the first section and a second customized toolbar view with the second section, where the first and second customized toolbar views include different sets of the plurality of toolbars. In response to user navigation of the document to cause the sequential display of multiple ones of the plurality of sections of the document, the application automatically presents the first customized toolbar view when the first section of the document is displayed and automatically presenting the second customized toolbar view when the second section of the document is displayed.

Abstract: A method, system and computer program product for providing an out-of-office notification reminder to a user composing and sending emails from an email account is presented. In particular, an Out-of-Office utility provides a notification reminder to an email sender if the sender composes an email to an out-of-office recipient from whom the sender had previously received an automated out-of-office reply. When an automated out-of-office reply is initially received by a sender, the Out-of-Office utility allows the email software to capture and store the out-of-office notification data (e.g., sender and recipient e-mail Identifiers (IDs), email recipient's out-of-office dates, and notification message). When the sender types in an e-mail ID while composing an email message, the e-mail program scans an up-to-date (current) file of previously received out-of-office information.

Abstract: An Out-of-Office utility provides a notification reminder to an email sender and automatically populates the address field with an email address of a specific backup recipient when the sender composes an email to an out-of-office recipient from whom the sender had previously received an automated out-of-office reply. When an automated out-of-office reply is initially received by the sender's email application, the Out-of-Office utility captures and stores the out-of-office notification data (e.g., sender and recipient e-mail Identifiers (IDs), email recipient's out-of-office dates, backup recipient's email address, and actual notification message). When the sender types in an e-mail ID while composing an email message, the utility scans an up-to-date (current) file of previously received out-of-office information. If there is an email ID match, the utility displays a pop-up window alerting and notifying the sender of the previously received message.

Abstract: A method of data processing in a data processing system includes an operating system shell receiving a command identifying a target executable. In response to receiving the command, the operating system shell determines whether or not a directory re-order option is set. In response to determining that the directory re-order option is set, the operating system shell locates the target executable by searching one or more file system directories for the target binary executable in accordance with an order indicated by a set of dynamic weights associated with directories among said one or more file system directories. The set of dynamic weights is then updated based upon the determined location of the target executable in the file system.

Abstract: A scroll-based volume controller detects a user selection to scroll through a browser window loaded with data comprising at least one display element, wherein an audio element is associated with the display element and wherein the size of the displayable data is larger than the display area of the browser window. The scroll-based volume controller, responsive to detecting the user selection to scroll through the browser window, calculates a change in position of the display element relative to the browser window. The audio element may include an audio file that is downloaded or streamed to the browser.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for configuring a set of devices for a given machine attached to a storage area network. The initial program load firmware and network adapter firmware for each machine on the storage area network are modified to query a storage area network appliance for lists of devices. The storage area network appliance may be identified by a world wide name and may store lists of boot devices, root volume group devices, primary devices, and secondary devices for each machine on the storage area network. The storage area network appliance then listens for queries and returns the appropriate list of devices based on query type and/or boot type. The boot type for a machine may be set to normal boot, maintenance boot, or install boot.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for providing access authentication of users attempting to gain access to a network based on connection orientation parameters to prevent security breaches of the network. In general, after a connection is requested to gain access to a networked computer, all router addresses through which the request went is gathered and compared to a well-known set of firewall router addresses (for example, of known companies) to determine the validity of the request. If one of the gathered addresses match the well-known set of firewall address, the request is deemed to have come from the other side of the firewall and the connection is denied. As such, in an intranet networking environment that uses a firewall, the present invention will provide computer users of the intranet protection from unauthorized access by others that do not have access past the firewall.

Abstract: A system, computer program product and method for activating a volume group without a quorum of disks in the volume group being active. A first node, e.g., main server, may send a meta data identifier to a second node, e.g., backup server, upon completion of updating the meta data associated with a plurality of disks in a particular volume group shared by both first and second nodes. If the first node becomes inoperative, e.g., crashes, after sending the meta data identifier to the second node, then the second node may take over the functions of the first node by activating one or more volume groups shared by both the main and backup nodes. The second node may activate a particular volume group by identifying a single disk that is active in that particular volume group based on the meta data identifier associated with that particular volume group.

Abstract: A method and system for creating and managing a plurality of storage devices in a computer network. The present invention creates a common root storage device, which stores files that are shared among several computers in the network, and a custom root storage device, which store files specific to a single computer. The method of the present invention includes creating common and custom root storage devices within the network, recognizing these devices during startup (boot) of a network computer and updating the common root storage devices as needed. In a preferred embodiment, multiple common root storage devices are used so that an alternate common root storage device may be updated while the primary common root storage device is in use. The present invention also includes a system for creating and managing storage devices on computers within the computer network using the aforementioned methods.

Abstract: A mechanism is provided for configuring a set of devices for a given machine attached to a storage area network. The initial program load firmware and network adapter firmware for each machine on the storage area network are modified to query a storage area network appliance for lists of devices. The storage area network appliance may be identified by a world wide name and may store lists of boot devices, root volume group devices, primary devices, and secondary devices for each machine on the storage area network. The storage area network appliance then listens for queries and returns the appropriate list of devices based on query type and/or boot type. The boot type for a machine may be set to normal boot, maintenance boot, or install boot.

Abstract: A no-integrity management method and system for managing logical volumes of a computer system. The no-integrity refers to the fact that the availability status of each partition within the mirrored logical volumes is not written to a direct access storage device but instead stored within a volatile memory. When the computer system is shutdown the availability status information is discarded, and the availability status of each partition is marked as active upon first open of a partition after startup of the computer system.

Abstract: The present invention is embodied in a system and method for providing access authentication of users attempting to gain access to a network based on connection orientation parameters to prevent security breaches of the network. In general, after a connection is requested to gain access to a networked computer, all router addresses through which the request went is gathered and compared to a well-known set of firewall router addresses (for example, of known companies) to determine the validity of the request. If one of the gathered addresses match the well-known set of firewall address, the request is deemed to have come from the other side of the firewall and the connection is denied. As such, in an intranet networking environment that uses a firewall, the present invention will provide computer users of the intranet protection from unauthorized access by others that do not have access past the firewall.

Abstract: The present invention is a management process operating on a computer system that has cached addresses and documents stored on the computer system, the process comprising displaying cache status information about the cached documents when a user digitally points to an address associated with one or more of the cached documents. After the user views the cache status information, a user chooses between load options: 1) to load the cached document; 2) to load designated portions of the document either from the cache or with newly loaded and “fresh” content; or 3) to load a completely new or “fresh” document. Further, after the chosen document is loaded, visual indicia (such as a color coding scheme or highlighting) is used to distinguish between the portions of the document that are cached and fresh. The user is then given the three load options again.

Abstract: A system, computer program product and method for activating a volume group without a quorum of disks in the volume group being active. A first node, e.g., main server, may send a meta data identifier to a second node, e.g., backup server, upon completion of updating the meta data associated with a plurality of disks in a particular volume group shared by both first and second nodes. If the first node becomes inoperative, e.g., crashes, after sending the meta data identifier to the second node, then the second node may take over the functions of the first node by activating one or more volume groups shared by both the main and backup nodes. The second node may activate a particular volume group by identifying a single disk that is active in that particular volume group based on the meta data identifier associated with that particular volume group.