Abstract: A computer system and software are provided for customizing on-line computer services. An application is able to interact with a sub-system between which an interceptor system can be interposed. The interceptor system includes a proxy interacting with the application, a customization module interacting with the proxy and a dispatcher interacting with the customization module and interacting with the sub-system. A customization repository contains the customization module and interacts with a service and a client sharing the application and the sub-system. A control interacts with the customization repository and the service for causing customization of the service and the client by disposing the proxy to interact with the application and the dispatcher to interact with the sub-system.

Abstract: Peers (p) monitor responses received from other peers (s, q) to requests for information and rate the responding peers on their ability to provide information of interest. When a responding peer (s) is discovered to frequently provide good results, the requesting peer (p) attempts to move closer to the responding peer (s) by creating a direct connection (p-s) with that peer and thereby promote the “good” peer to an “immediate” peer. If such a promotion would result in too many direct connections, the least important immediate peer is demoted to an “indirect” peer. The criteria (Imp) used for evaluating the relative importance of at least the immediate peers is preferably a time weighted average (Imp*(t)=?·Imp(t)+?·Imp*(t?1)) that also measures consistency and reliability and preferably includes factors not only representative of the peer's ability to provide requested information (Hits), but also of its proximity to the source of that information (1/Hops) so that it can prove that information efficiently.

Abstract: Peers (p) monitor responses received from other peers (s, q) to requests for information and rate the responding peers on their ability to provide information of interest. When a responding peer (s) is discovered to frequently provide good results, the requesting peer (p) attempts to move closer to the responding peer (s) by creating a direct connection (p-s) with that peer and thereby promote the “good” peer to an “immediate” peer. If such a promotion would result in too many direct connections, the least important immediate peer is demoted to an “indirect” peer.

Abstract: A computer system and software are provided for customizing on-line computer services. An application is able to interact with a sub-system between which an interceptor system can be interposed. The interceptor system includes a proxy interacting with the application, a customization module interacting with the proxy and a dispatcher interacting with the customization module and interacting with the sub-system. A customization repository contains the customization module and interacts with a service and a client sharing the application and the sub-system. A control interacts with the customization repository and the service for causing customization of the service and the client by disposing the proxy to interact with the application and the dispatcher to interact with the sub-system.