Abstract: A method and facility for handling data regarding web activity of a population of users includes recording a selected web activity by a user and determining a cookie associated with the web activity. A plurality of different storage devices are provided. Each storage device is assigned a unique range of cookie values. A data set associated with the selected web activity is stored in the storage device that has an assigned range into which the cookie falls. The data sets are indexed by cookie for retrieval.

Abstract: Method of detecting cracks in an object of an electrically conducting material that is covered by a non-conductive layer using a probe comprising a transmitter coil for inducing eddy currents in the object and a receiver coil comprising selecting a set of points of the object which are to be inspected; and which method further comprises for each point positioning the probe at the point, activating the transmitter coil to induce eddy currents in the object; creating a record of the signal provided by the receiver coil over a period of time; and examining the record and comparing it to reference records, wherein the presence or absence of a crack can be inferred from the comparison.

Abstract: A facility for selecting advertising outlets on which to place advertising messages for an advertiser is described. For each of a first group of advertising outlets, the facility assesses the rate at which visitors to the advertiser also visit the advertising outlet. The facility selects an advertising outlet among the first group having the highest assessed rate. For each of a second group of advertising outlets, the facility assesses the tendency of a high-performing advertising outlet to drive its visitors to the advertising outlet among the second group of advertising outlets. The facility selects an advertising outlet among the second group to which the high-performing advertising outlet has the greatest assessed tendency to drive its visitors.