Abstract: Retrieving content items based on a social distance between a user and content providers. The social distance is determined based on, for example, user interaction with the content providers. The content providers are ranked, for the user, based on the determined social distance. Prior to a request from the user, the content items are pre-fetched based on the ranked content providers and constraints such as storage space, bandwidth, and battery power level of a computing device of the user. In some embodiments, additional content items are retrieved, or retrieved content items are deleted, as a variable-size cache on the computing device fills or changes size.

Abstract: Retrieving content items based on a social distance between a user and content providers. The social distance is determined based on, for example, user interaction with the content providers. The content providers are ranked, for the user, based on the determined social distance. Prior to a request from the user, the content items are pre-fetched based on the ranked content providers and constraints such as storage space, bandwidth, and battery power level of a computing device of the user. In some embodiments, additional content items are retrieved, or retrieved content items are deleted, as a variable-size cache on the computing device fills or changes size.

Abstract: Remote differential compression is integrated within applications. Objects are updated between two or more computing devices using remote differential compression (RDC) techniques such that required data transfers are minimized. An algorithm provides enhanced efficiencies for allowing the receiver to locate a set of objects that are similar to the object that needs to be transferred from the sender. Once this set of similar objects has been found, the receiver may reuse any chunks from these objects during the RDC algorithm.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for accessing the status of a process executing either locally or remotely. The invention also involves a process management system that invokes an executable process, monitors it, and exchanges status information relative to the process with one or more connected machines. A local or remote application or machine invokes the process by communicating with the process management system over an established connection. The process management system invokes the requested action on the user's behalf by activating a script engine containing a sequence of executable commands and/or routines that initiate and enable the process. Status information related to the invoked action is consistently stored in a publicly accessible data structure as the process is in execution. Any machines that are connected with the process management system over the established connection can retrieve the data structure containing the process information.

Abstract: Aspects of the subject matter described herein relate to replicating resources across machines participating in a replica set. In aspects, a downstream machine requests that an upstream machine notify the downstream machine when updates to resources of the replica set occur. When such updates occur, the upstream machine notifies the downstream machine. In response thereto, the downstream machine requests resource meta-data and may include a limit as to how much resource meta-data may be sent. The upstream machine responds with the requested resource meta-data. Thereafter, the downstream machine determines which data associated with the updated resources to request and requests such data.

Abstract: Remote differential compression is integrated within applications. Objects are updated between two or more computing devices using remote differential compression (RDC) techniques such that required data transfers are minimized. An algorithm provides enhanced efficiencies for allowing the receiver to locate a set of objects that are similar to the object that needs to be transferred from the sender. Once this set of similar objects has been found, the receiver may reuse any chunks from these objects during the RDC algorithm.

Abstract: A method and system for passing messages between threads is provided, in which a sending thread communicates with a receiving thread by passing a reference to the message to a message queue associated with the receiving thread. The reference may be passed without explicitly invoking the inter-process or inter-thread message passing services of the computer's operating system. The sending thread may also have a message queue associated with it, and the sending thread's queue may include a reference to the receiving thread's queue. The sending thread can use this reference to pass messages to the receiving thread's queue.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for managing the distribution and collection of files involved in building a software system. The system includes a first component for building a list of file names of files to be shared by build machines employed in building the software system, and a second component for distributing to one or more of the build machines, one or more files being stored persistently by the one or more build machines. Disclosed also is an alternative embodiment of the system for managing the distribution and collection of files involved in building a software system wherein files built by the build machines are broadcast to other build machines that will determine whether to receive and persistently store those files.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system for managing the distribution and collection of files involved in building a software system. The system includes a first component for building a list of file names of files to be shared by build machines employed in building the software system, and a second component for distributing to one or more of the build machines, one or more files being stored persistently by the one or more build machines. Disclosed also is an alternative embodiment of the system for managing the distribution and collection of files involved in building a software system wherein files built by the build machines are broadcast to other build machines that will determine whether to receive and persistently store those files.

Abstract: A novel method and system for representing a high-level programming language data structure in a mark-up language is provided, in which each variable of data structure is represented as a mark-up language element. The nesting of the elements represents the hierarchical relationship among the variables. Each element includes the name of the variable represented by the element and the type of the variable. The variable name may be included as the tag name, and the variable type may be included as an attribute. Additionally, a default value for the variable may be included as an attribute. Finally, comments to be included in the resulting high-level language source code may be represented in the body of the element.

Abstract: The invention relates to a method and system for accessing the status of a process executing either locally or remotely. The invention also involves a process management system that invokes an executable process, monitors it, and exchanges status information relative to the process with one or more connected machines. A local or remote application or machine invokes the process by communicating with the process management system over an established connection. The process management system invokes the requested action on the user's behalf by activating a script engine containing a sequence of executable commands and/or routines that initiate and enable the process. Status information related to the invoked action is consistently stored in a publicly accessible data structure as the process is in execution. Any machines that are connected with the process management system over the established connection can retrieve the data structure containing the process information.

Abstract: A method and system for passing messages between threads is provided, in which a sending thread communicates with a receiving thread by passing a reference to the message to a message queue associated with the receiving thread. The reference may be passed without explicitly invoking the inter-process or inter-thread message passing services of the computer's operating system. The sending thread may also have a message queue associated with it, and the sending thread's queue may include a reference to the receiving thread's queue. The sending thread can use this reference to pass messages to the receiving thread's queue.