Abstract: A method for identifying participants of a collaborative network is disclosed. The participants communicate over a larger electronic network wherein not all members may be participating in the collaborative session. The method begins by determining a unique session identifier for only the participants of the collaborative network. Next, a message having the session identifier is sent to all members of the network by an inquiring participant of the collaborative network. Only participants that have the session identifier respond to the inquiring participant. Finally, communication is established between the participants that responded to the message and the inquiring participant. In this regard, a collaborative network is formed including the inquiring participant.

Abstract: A method for identifying participants of a collaborative network is disclosed. The participants communicate over a larger electronic network wherein not all members may be participating in the collaborative session. The method begins by determining a unique session identifier for only the participants of the collaborative network. Next, a message having the session identifier is sent to all members of the network by an inquiring participant of the collaborative network. Only participants that have the session identifier respond to the inquiring participant. Finally, communication is established between the participants that responded to the message and the inquiring participant. In this regard, a collaborative network is formed including the inquiring participant.

Abstract: Interactive instant networking may be achieved by receiving an indication to change from a current network mode to another network mode, disabling a collaboration authority DHCP server if the current network mode comprises a collaboration authority instant network mode, enabling the collaboration authority DHCP server if the current network mode does not comprise the collaboration authority instant network mode, issuing a DHCP IP address request to receive an IP address, and repeating the issuing until a unique IP address is received. The indication may be responsive to a user toggling an application-level user interface button.

Abstract: A method for identifying participants of a collaborative network is disclosed. The participants communicate over a larger electronic network wherein not all members may be participating in the collaborative session. The method begins by determining a unique session identifier for only the participants of the collaborative network. Next, a message having the session identifier is sent to all members of the network by an inquiring participant of the collaborative network. Only participants that have the session identifier respond to the inquiring participant. Finally, communication is established between the participants that responded to the message and the inquiring participant. In this regard, a collaborative network is formed including the inquiring participant.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer collaborative network system is described. The peer-to-peer collaborative network system uses an authentication system with multiple levels of authentication. This allows some collaboration applications to allow a collaboration with a high authentication level, but not to allow a collaboration with a lower level of authentication. Other collaborative applications can allow a collaboration with the lower level of authentication.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is described in which anchors are used to produce a shared store display. The anchors are pointers to objects which are distributively stored on a peer-to-peer network. Not all of the objects are copied to each of the units in the peer-to-peer network. Additionally, not all of the objects are stored in a central server. The peer-to-peer network software allows for collaborative networking of the objects in the shared store.

Abstract: A method of synchronizing databases between multiple users in a peer-to-peer network is disclosed. The method comprises extracting changes from a source database of one of the users. Next, the changes are compressed and sent to the other users in the peer-to-peer network in parallel. Finally, the changes are decompressed and replicated on the database of each of the other users. In this respect, the databases of the other users will contain all changes from the source database.

Abstract: A method for identifying participants of a collaborative network is disclosed. The participants communicate over a larger electronic network wherein not all members may be participating in the collaborative session. The method begins by determining a unique session identifier for only the participants of the collaborative network. Next, a message having the session identifier is sent to all members of the network by an inquiring participant of the collaborative network. Only participants that have the session identifier respond to the inquiring participant. Finally, communication is established between the participants that responded to the message and the inquiring participant. In this regard, a collaborative network is formed including the inquiring participant.

Abstract: A peer-to-peer collaborative network system is described. The peer-to-peer collaborative network system uses an authentication system with multiple levels of authentication. This allows some collaboration applications to allow a collaboration with a high authentication level, but not to allow a collaboration with a lower level of authentication. Other collaborative applications can allow a collaboration with the lower level of authentication.

Abstract: A method for identifying participants of a collaborative network is disclosed. The participants communicate over a larger electronic network wherein not all members may be participating in the collaborative session. The method begins by determining a unique session identifier for only the participants of the collaborative network. Next, a message having the session identifier is sent to all members of the network by an inquiring participant of the collaborative network. Only participants that have the session identifier respond to the inquiring participant. Finally, communication is established between the participants that responded to the message and the inquiring participant. In this regard, a collaborative network is formed including the inquiring participant.

Abstract: A graphical user interface for the collaboration of participants is disclosed. The participants are located within an area and the graphical user interface is generated on a display of an electronic device. The graphical user interface comprises an area representation and at least one participant representation generated on the display. The participant representation allows a viewer of the display to quickly identify the participants in the area, as well as see information about each one. Furthermore, the graphical user interface may include information representations which allow a viewer to access information associated therewith.