Abstract: A method, apparatus and computer program product are provided for implementing autonomous variation of media dismount time in a robotic media library. I/O requests to the robotic media library are monitored. Performance statistics are gathered for the I/O requests to the robotic media library. The gathered performance statistics are periodically checked to determine if a change is needed for the media dismount time. The gathered performance statistics include a media hit count of where a data storage medium (DSM) for an I/O request is in a robotic media drive, and a media near miss count where the DSM for the I/O request is in transit from the robotic media drive.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize a cache payback parameter for selectively and dynamically disabling caching for potentially cacheable operations performed in connection with a memory. The cache payback parameter is tracked concurrently with the performance of a plurality of cacheable operations on a memory, and is used to determine the effectiveness, or potential payback, of caching in a particular implementation or environment. The selective disabling of caching, in turn, is applied at least to future cacheable operations based upon a determination that the cache payback parameter meets a caching disable threshold.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for allocating use of an access device between a host operating system and a guest operating system. In one embodiment, a source of the received request to use the access device is determined as either the host operating system or the guest operating system. A determination of whether the host or guest operating system has a key for the access device is performed. The key enables either the host operating system or the guest operating system to use the access device. A determination of whether the received request is an altering request to change a state of the access device or a passive request to read the access device is also performed. The processing of the request from the host and guest operating systems is similar except when the request is an altering request and neither the host operating system nor the guest operating system has the key.

Abstract: Disclosed is a system, method, and program for processing an input file in a file system, wherein the input file has an input file name. A function is applied to map the input file name to a value. A data structure is processed to determine whether there is a preexisting file in the file system having a name that maps, according to the function, to the same value to which the input file name maps. Two files that map to a same value according to the function are capable of having a same name.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for copying information from a first storage medium to a second storage medium. A first storage medium of memory blocks is mapped into at least one data block and at least one directory block. Two passes of the first storage medium are then performed. In the first pass, each data block is copied from the first storage medium to the second storage medium. If a read error occurs while copying a data block, a location of the data block and a data file stored in the data block are identified to provide future error handling capability. In the second pass, each directory block is copied from the first storage medium to the second storage medium.

Abstract: An apparatus, program product and method utilize a cache payback parameter for selectively and dynamically disabling caching for potentially cacheable operations performed in connection with a memory. The cache payback parameter is tracked concurrently with the performance of a plurality of cacheable operations on a memory, and is used to determine the effectiveness, or potential payback, of caching in a particular implementation or environment. The selective disabling of caching, in turn, is applied at least to future cacheable operations based upon a determination that the cache payback parameter meets a caching disable threshold.

Abstract: An apparatus an method are disclosed for dividing a two-dimensional matrix of pixels into at least first and second areas. For each pixel, it is determined in which the area the pixel is located. Then, the pixels in the first area are processed according to a first processing/compression scheme, and the pixels in the second area are processed according to a second processing/compression scheme. A data bit stream is generated which represents the processed/compressed pixels and their associated areas, and the data bit stream can be stored or transmitted in lieu of the entire matrix of pixels. If desired, the pixels in the first area can be processed less frequently than the pixels in the second area, and the areas themselves can be established in response to the frequency of variations in the pixel values.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for allocating use of an access device between a host operating system and a guest operating system. In one embodiment, a source of the received request to use the access device is determined as either the host operating system or the guest operating system. A determination of whether the host or guest operating system has a key for the access device is performed. The key enables either the host operating system or the guest operating system to use the access device. A determination of whether the received request is altering request to change a state of the access device or a passive request to read the access device is also performed. The processing of the request from the host and guest operating systems is similar except when the request is an altering request and neither the guest operating system nor the guest operating system has the key.

Abstract: A method, apparatus and article of manufacture for copying information from a first storage medium to a second storage medium. A first storage medium of memory blocks is mapped into at least one data block and at least one directory block. Two passes of the first storage medium are then performed. In the first pass, each data block is copied from the first storage medium to the second storage medium. If a read error occurs while copying a data block, a location of the data block and a data file stored in the data block are identified to provide future error handling capability. In the second pass, each directory block is copied from the first storage medium to the second storage medium.

Abstract: A method and implementing computer system are provided in which screensavers are used to lock a workstation and present an eye-pleasing display while the user is away from the workstation. Users are enabled to select from a plurality of screensaver types which are applied in a screensaver mode. The screensaver displays include application indicia representative of work-in-progress when a screensaver mode was activated. The application indicia can be selectively obscured to hide work which may be of a sensitive or proprietary nature.

Abstract: A data processor controlled user interactive display system for displaying hypertext documents, each including a sequence of display screen pages including text and image information received over a communications network such as the World Wide Web by first determining the more significant page edge based upon the horizontal direction in which the natural language of the text is read. Visual information density at a sequence of horizontal positions in a medial direction with respect to said significant page edge is then sampled, and each sequential sample of said visual information is compared to a selected density level. As a result of this comparison, the visual information in the window is positioned with respect to a reference margin determined by a sample of said visual information attaining said selected density level.

Abstract: In a computer controlled user interactive display, a system is provided for controlling cursor movement on the display screen involving a user activated cursor control device connected to said computer movable in the four orthogonal directions. The system has conventional means for converting the user activated orthogonal movements into cursor movements in said orthogonal directions on said display screen and user interactive means for scaling said cursor movements in each of said four orthogonal directions relative to the corresponding movements in said cursor control device. The invention is particularly directed to such cursor movement rate scaling in respective windows.

Abstract: An improved pointer device, such as a mouse, for a computer system having a video display that uses a moving graphical pointer. The pointer device has switches or dials that allow independent adjustment of mouse speed and acceleration. Separate adjustments can be made for X and Y axes of motion of the mouse. Since the adjustment functionality is built into the hardware of the mouse, the mouse user is able to easily configure mouse behavior without navigating various menus and panels in software drivers, providing functionality which may not otherwise be available on the user's system.

Abstract: A method for rapid positioning of a display pointer on a display screen may be accomplished by establishing a preferred order of display pointer movement between widgets when the particular screen location of the widgets is known. Having established the preferred order, the display pointer is automatically repositioned based on the preferred order when an input stimulus is activated. The input stimulus may be activated by a function of the keyboard, mouse, or any other input devices that may be used in association with a computer.