Abstract: A system and method effectuates scheduling and initiating contact between people without sensitivity to time issues, and can ascertain when is the best time and most promising communications medium to use to reach another person to schedule time together or by which to initiate contact. A system and method also ascertains a person's expected activities. This provides effective and accurate information on general patterns that can be timely promulgated to all group members to help initiate contact without requiring simultaneous virtual presence to be effective. A system and method ascertain a person's activities, location, and corresponding rhythms and allows corresponding inferences regarding coordination, communication, and contact. An embodiment of the present invention thus provides to distributed co-workers some of the cues and advantages enjoyed in more traditional workplaces which facilitate such interaction therein.

Abstract: A lightweight indicator provides an indication of divergence of views for a collaboratively used user interface element. The lightweight indicator identifies the magnitude of the divergence of views. The user interface may be, for example, a graphical widget, such as a mouse cursor or a scrollbar. The indicator is “lightweight” in that the indicator only subtly modifies the appearance of the user interface element. The indicator is also “lightweight” in that it provides an indication without incurring significant computational or memory overhead.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for accessing related computer objects. In one embodiment, computer objects related to a user's current task by a metric are listed. In another embodiment, other users related to a user's current task by a metric are listed. In one embodiment, the metric used to determine whether a user is related to a computer object determines whether the user accessed the computer object. In another embodiment, the metric used to determine whether a user is related to a computer object determines whether the user is referenced in the computer object. In other embodiments, the metric used to determine whether a user is related to a computer object involves other measures of relatedness. In one embodiment, the metric used to determine whether a computer object is related to another computer object determines whether the computer objects have a related user in common.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for integrating dynamic, context-sensitive awareness into software applications. In one embodiment, a computer interface is provided that helps users identify and interact with advisors having a particular expertise or interest. The list of advisors is dynamically created, based on an activity that the user os performing. In one embodiment, a list of advisors meeting defined criteria are identified and optionally ranked according to the level of expertise or knowledge the person has, in relation to the specified criteria.

Abstract: The present invention provides a method and apparatus for automatic electronic document versioning system. One embodiment of the present invention automatically and permanently saves information about the changes made between successive document states. Thus, every previous document state is retrievable. Another embodiment provides an interface for retrieving previous document states. A set of potentially memorable events are arranged in a timeline and used to identify certain previous document states. In one embodiment, closing a document is a memorable event used to identify a document state. In another embodiment, copying or synchronizing the document to another device is a memorable event used to identify a document state. In yet another embodiment, attaching the document to an electronic mail message is a memorable event used to identify a document state. In yet another embodiment, a user explicitly requesting a document state be saved as memorable is a memorable event used to identify a document state.

Abstract: In a plurality of electronic devices, a system and method is provided for providing interfaces on the plurality of electronic devices for interacting with at least one source of dynamically changing awareness information. Each of the plurality of electronic devices communicates with the at least one source to update the at least one source with individual awareness information for the electronic device in communication with the at least one source. Each of the plurality of electronic devices communicates with the at least one source to receive awareness information relating to others of the plurality of electronic devices. The awareness information can be a summary of electronic device statuses relating to a selected user. The awareness information can also include an indication of time since each of a plurality of electronic devices relating to a selected user has been in use.