Abstract: A method for providing electronic introductions includes providing, with an electronic communication, an electronic introduction that gives additional information regarding a party to the electronic communication that is in addition to the electronic identification of that party. A system for providing an electronic introduction may include a computer configured to search at least one database for information about a party being introduced and compile an electronic introduction for the party incorporating the information; and an electronic communication function configured to provide access to the electronic introduction to a recipient of an electronic communication sent by the party using the electronic communication function.

Abstract: A computer program product provides collaborative accountability in meeting workflows by including appropriate notification and endorsement of workflow events by an accountability network which includes supervisors in an organizational hierarchy. Workflow events may include invitations to attend meetings, delegations of those invitations, meeting attendance, and action items generated within meetings.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a method, system, device, and/or computer program for managing ancillary relationships in an organization. The invention can include a social network graph, a directory services data store, and an ancillary relationship coordinator. The social network graph can graphically illustrate the relationships, both direct and ancillary, between members of the organization. The directory services data store can be configured to contain a directory services tree corresponding to the social network graph. The ancillary relationship coordinator can be configured to automatically identify and manage the ancillary relationships between the members of the organization. The ancillary relationship coordinator can incorporate information pertaining to the ancillary relationships into the social network graph and the directory services data store.

Abstract: A method is provided for exploitation of a social network to derive a location of an employee in a corporation utilizing instant messaging or automatic telephone calls. A search request is received for a location of an employee. A social network or acquaintance list of the employee is looked up in a corporate database. A list of contacts of the employee is extracted from the social network or acquaintance list in the corporate database. The list of contacts is presented, in response to the search request. The list of contacts is polled to locate the employee via instant messaging and/or automatic telephone calls. The location of the employee is received, in response to polling the list of contacts. The list of contacts is alerted that the employee has been located.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon a temporal factor between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon a social networking relationship between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to response subscriptions and provide a method, system and computer program product for response tracking across social networks. In one embodiment of the invention, a social networking response tracking method can be provided. The method can be performed by client-side logic and can include associating subscribers with a user or a group of users based upon a posting by the user or a user in the group of users within a client computing device for the user, aggregating different postings from the user to correspondingly different forums disposed about a global computer communications network, and, notifying the subscribers of the aggregated postings.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to response subscriptions and provide a method, system and computer program product for centralized response tracking across social networks. In one embodiment of the invention, a social networking response tracking method can be provided. The method can include associating subscribers with a user or a group of users based upon a posting by the user or a user in the group of users within a centralized response tracking system, aggregating different postings from the user to correspondingly different forums disposed about a global computer communications network within the centralized response tracking system, and, notifying the subscribers of the aggregated postings from the centralized response tracking system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon an application interaction relationship between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to message prioritization and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for social collaborative prioritization of messages in a messaging system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for social collaborative prioritization of messages can be provided for a messaging system. The method can include receiving a message from a sender as directed to a recipient, determining a value for a different social collaborative criterion based upon an organizational relationship between the sender and the recipient, transforming the value into a priority for the message, and associating the priority with the message in the messaging system.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for determining that a user of a client electronic device is in do-not-interrupt mode. A message directed to the user is routed to a client-based storage queue for subsequent delivery.

Abstract: A method and computer program product for determining that a user of a client electronic device is in do-not-interrupt mode. A message directed to the user is routed to a server-based storage queue for subsequent delivery.

Abstract: A system, apparatus, and method for recommending network content based upon shared preferences among members of a social network is provided. The method can be a computer-implemented method that includes determining a membership of a user in at least one social network in response to the user accessing a communications network. The method can further include identifying network content associated with other members of the at least one social network. Based upon the shared preferences, a list can be generated and transmitted to the user, the list comprising at least one network site for accessing the identified network content.

Abstract: A method for exploitation of location proximity to derive a location of an employee in a corporation utilizing instant messaging or automatic telephone calls is provided. A search request for a location of an employee is received. A look up of coworkers of the employee in a corporate database is performed. A list of neighbors of the employee is extracted from the coworkers, and the list of neighbors of the employee is generated in accordance with the proximity of neighbors in the list of neighbors to a workspace of the employee. The list of neighbors is presented, in response to the search request. The list of neighbors is polled to locate the employee via instant messaging and/or automatic telephone calls. The location of the employee is received, in response to polling the list of neighbors. The neighbors are alerted that the employee has been located.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to collaborative computing and provide a method, system and computer program product for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment can be provided. The method can include identifying a subject user and corresponding workspace in the collaborative environment, locating within a social network a related user for the subject user, retrieving a workspace configuration for the related user, and applying the workspace configuration to the corresponding workspace of the subject user.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to collaborative computing and provide a method, system and computer program product for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for autonomically configuring a workspace in a collaborative computing environment can be provided. The method can include identifying a subject user and corresponding workspace in the collaborative environment, locating a related user within a directory for the subject user, retrieving a workspace configuration for the related user, and applying the workspace configuration to the corresponding workspace of the subject user.

Abstract: A method including analyzing one or more network interactions of a user. One or more servers associated with the one or more network interaction may be identified. A listing of at least a portion of the one or more servers may be rendered.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to presence awareness for instant messaging and provide a novel and non-obvious method, system and computer program product for adaptive instant messaging awareness. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for adaptive instant messaging awareness can be provided. The method can include overriding an instant messaging system presence awareness do not disturb state for a user of an instant messenger in the instant messaging system in response to determining a contemporaneously calendared event for the user.

Abstract: In a method and system for protecting context sensitive information from being transmitted from an instant message client, at least one policy is received that includes an entry of one or more disallowed terms and is associated with at least one action. Words typed into an IM message of the IM client by a user are then monitored in real-time. In response to any of the words typed into the IM message matching any of one or more disallowed terms, the action associated with the policy is automatically performed. According to one embodiment, an example action that may be associated with the policy and that is automatically performed may include temporarily halting transmission of the IM message, and displaying a warning message to the user, for example.

Abstract: The present invention discloses a solution for providing item bagging advisements to individuals bagging purchased items during a check-out situation. The solution can include a self-checkout system and/or a human assisted checkout system capable of providing bagging assistance. A bagged item can be detected based on information such as weight, barcode data, and the like. Based on a set of rules for preferred item grouping, items can be determined to be appropriately bagged or to be in conflict with another item. Item bagging assistance can include, but is not limited to, item conflict warning, item compatibility confirmation, and assistance based on item categorization. Visual and aural confirmation and/or warning notifications can be presented to a user based on item compatibility or incompatibility.