Abstract: Software for an online content service obtains a plurality of events chronologically generated by a plurality of users of an online content service during a specified period of time. The software identifies any content items associated with each event and annotates each of the content items with (a) a plurality of metadata attributes associated with the content item and (b) a plurality of metadata attributes associated with the online content service. The software sorts the events based on user and based on content identifier and orders the sorted events based on timestamp. The software determines the events that make up a content session for the specific content item and the specific user, using the ordered events for the specific content item and a look-back time period and a look-ahead time period. Then the software generates an analytic based at least in part on the content session.

Abstract: A content item categorizer system retrieves content items from Internet sources. If a retrieved content item includes sufficient information for traditional categorization methods, then the system assigns one or more categories to the content item using such traditional methods. The system creates a metadata model, based on information about traditionally-categorized content items, that maps at least hashtags from the content items to one or more content categories. When the system retrieves a sparse-info item that does not include sufficient information for traditional categorization, the system applies the metadata model to categorize the content item using at least hashtags in the sparse-info item. The metadata model may also include information indicating mappings between categories and coincidence of hashtags and additional content item attributes. Also, the metadata model may provide information for categorizing sparse-info items based on multiple hashtags in the sparse-info item metadata.

Abstract: Methods for categorizing news are presented. One method groups articles into clusters that share a common topic. A first category is identified for each article that indicates if the article is news or not. Further, the method includes an operation for determining use data for each article that has information about people that have accessed or referenced the article. Additionally, the method includes an operation for combining the use data and the first category for all the articles in each cluster to determine the geographical scope of interest for the cluster. The use data and the first category are combined for all the articles in each cluster to determine a second category for each article that indicates if the article is general news, topical news, or not news. The articles are presented to the user based on the geographical scope of interest, the second category, and the attributes of the user.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a topic page for a search query on a search webpage includes receiving a query at the search webpage on a client. The query is transmitted from the search webpage on the client to a search engine on a server. A topic page generator available to the search engine analyzes the query to identify a plurality of dimensions. One or more content modules that match one or more of the dimensions are selected from a plurality of sources based on a weight associated with each of the content modules. The weight defines the ranking of a content module. The content modules for the plurality of dimensions are glued together and presented on the topic page in the order of the corresponding weight of the content modules. The order of presentation identifies the relevancy of the content modules to the query. The presented topic page provides the most relevant content modules for the query, and for a user located in a specific geo location.

Abstract: In one embodiment, in a hierarchy of nodes, a master node having two or more child nodes obtains from the two or more child nodes two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith, the two or more sets of data samples being representative of traffic processed via two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes, wherein a size of each of the two or more sets of data samples is proportional to an allocation of traffic among the two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes. Each of the two or more sets of data samples is obtained from a different one of the two or more child nodes and represents traffic processed by a corresponding one of the two or more sets of servers. The master node combines the two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith such that a combined set of data is generated. The master node ascertains a numerical value from the combined set of data.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for providing a personalized news stream to a user. One method includes an operation for identifying user features associated with a user. The user features include personal features and social features. The personal features are based on activities of the user and the profile of the user. The social features are based on information about social connections of the user. The method further includes operations for extracting content features from a corpus of content items, for identifying intersections between user features and content features, and for assigning weights to the content features from the corpus based on the identified intersections. A score for each content item is determined based on the content features and the respective weights of the content items. The content items are then ranked based on the scores. One or more of the ranked content items are displayed.

Abstract: A content item categorizer system retrieves content items from Internet sources. If a retrieved content item includes sufficient information for traditional categorization methods, then the system assigns one or more categories to the content item using such traditional methods. The system creates a metadata model, based on information about traditionally-categorized content items, that maps at least hashtags from the content items to one or more content categories. When the system retrieves a sparse-info item that does not include sufficient information for traditional categorization, the system applies the metadata model to categorize the content item using at least hashtags in the sparse-info item. The metadata model may also include information indicating mappings between categories and coincidence of hashtags and additional content item attributes. Also, the metadata model may provide information for categorizing sparse-info items based on multiple hashtags in the sparse-info item metadata.

Abstract: Software for an online content service obtains a plurality of events chronologically generated by a plurality of users of an online content service during a specified period of time. The software identifies any content items associated with each event and annotates each of the content items with (a) a plurality of metadata attributes associated with the content item and (b) a plurality of metadata attributes associated with the online content service. The software sorts the events based on user and based on content identifier and orders the sorted events based on timestamp. The software determines the events that make up a content session for the specific content item and the specific user, using the ordered events for the specific content item and a look-back time period and a look-ahead time period. Then the software generates an analytic based at least in part on the content session.

Abstract: In one embodiment, in a hierarchy of nodes, a master node having two or more child nodes obtains from the two or more child nodes two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith, the two or more sets of data samples being representative of traffic processed via two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes, wherein a size of each of the two or more sets of data samples is proportional to an allocation of traffic among the two or more sets of servers corresponding to the two or more child nodes. Each of the two or more sets of data samples is obtained from a different one of the two or more child nodes and represents traffic processed by a corresponding one of the two or more sets of servers. The master node combines the two or more sets of data samples or summaries associated therewith such that a combined set of data is generated. The master node ascertains a numerical value from the combined set of data.

Abstract: A content item categorizer system retrieves content items from Internet sources. If a retrieved content item includes sufficient information for traditional categorization methods, then the system assigns one or more categories to the content item using such traditional methods. The system creates a metadata model, based on information about traditionally-categorized content items, that maps at least hashtags from the content items to one or more content categories. When the system retrieves a sparse-info item that does not include sufficient information for traditional categorization, the system applies the metadata model to categorize the content item using at least hashtags in the sparse-info item. The metadata model may also include information indicating mappings between categories and coincidence of hashtags and additional content item attributes. Also, the metadata model may provide information for categorizing sparse-info items based on multiple hashtags in the sparse-info item metadata.

Abstract: Module management software receives a request from the browser for a presentation composed of at least one module. The module management software transmits a request for module data associated with the module to a first server that caches the module data after retrieving the module data from a website. The module management software then receives the requested module data from the first server and transmits a request for each of the resource files described in the module data to a second server that caches each of the resource files after retrieving the resource file from an external (or internal) website. Each request for a resource file can be handled by a corresponding thread. The module management software delays transmission of the module data to the browser, if any requested resource file is not received within a time limit derived at least in part from a service level agreement.

Abstract: A content item categorizer system retrieves content items from Internet sources. If a retrieved content item includes sufficient information for traditional categorization methods, then the system assigns one or more categories to the content item using such traditional methods. The system creates a metadata model, based on information about traditionally-categorized content items, that maps at least hashtags from the content items to one or more content categories. When the system retrieves a sparse-info item that does not include sufficient information for traditional categorization, the system applies the metadata model to categorize the content item using at least hashtags in the sparse-info item. The metadata model may also include information indicating mappings between categories and coincidence of hashtags and additional content item attributes. Also, the metadata model may provide information for categorizing sparse-info items based on multiple hashtags in the sparse-info item metadata.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer programs are presented for providing a personalized news stream to a user. One method includes an operation for identifying user features associated with a user. The user features include personal features and social features. The personal features are based on activities of the user and the profile of the user. The social features are based on information about social connections of the user. The method further includes operations for extracting content features from a corpus of content items, for identifying intersections between user features and content features, and for assigning weights to the content features from the corpus based on the identified intersections. A score for each content item is determined based on the content features and the respective weights of the content items. The content items are then ranked based on the scores. One or more of the ranked content items are displayed.

Abstract: Methods for categorizing news are presented. One method groups articles into clusters that share a common topic. A first category is identified for each article that indicates if the article is news or not. Further, the method includes an operation for determining use data for each article that has information about people that have accessed or referenced the article. Additionally, the method includes an operation for combining the use data and the first category for all the articles in each cluster to determine the geographical scope of interest for the cluster. The use data and the first category are combined for all the articles in each cluster to determine a second category for each article that indicates if the article is general news, topical news, or not news. The articles are presented to the user based on the geographical scope of interest, the second category, and the attributes of the user.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing content on a topic page includes receiving a query for a topic at a topic page on a client and transmitting the query from the topic page on the client to a web application on a server. The web application includes algorithm to analyze the query to identify a plurality of content modules that match the query. The content modules are identified from anyone of a branded source or an un-branded source. One or more module performance indicators are computed for each of the identified content modules. An aggregate module performance indicator for each of the plurality of content modules is generated from the one or more computed module performance indicators. One or more content modules from the identified plurality of content modules are automatically selected for rendering on the topic page based on the aggregate module performance indicator associated with each of the identified content modules.

Abstract: A method and system for generating a topic page for a search query on a search webpage includes receiving a query at the search webpage on a client. The query is transmitted from the search webpage on the client to a search engine on a server. A topic page generator available to the search engine analyzes the query to identify a plurality of dimensions. One or more content modules, including at least one interactive advertising module, that match one or more of the dimensions are selected from a plurality of sources based on a weight associated with each of the content modules. The weight defines the ranking of a content module. The content modules for the plurality of dimensions are glued together and presented on the topic page in the order of the corresponding weight of the content modules. The order of presentation identifies the relevancy of the content modules to the query.

Abstract: Methods for guiding user moderation at a topic page by confidence levels includes presenting a topic page in response to a query. The topic page includes a plurality of modules with content that match the query. The topic page is associated with a confidence level and with one or more page attributes that define the characteristics of the topic page and the modules included therein. One or more modifications to the topic page are received as part of customization of the topic page. The modifications include a plurality of page attributes that define the modification and a plurality of user attributes of a user performing the modification. The modifications are evaluated based on the page attributes and user attributes including confidence levels associated with the topic page and the user. The modifications are implemented based on the evaluation. The implemented modifications enhance the quality and confidence level of the topic page.

Abstract: Module management software receives a request from the browser for a presentation composed of at least one module. The module management software transmits a request for module data associated with the module to a first server that caches the module data after retrieving the module data from a website. The module management software then receives the requested module data from the first server and transmits a request for each of the resource files described in the module data to a second server that caches each of the resource files after retrieving the resource file from an external (or internal) website. Each request for a resource file can be handled by a corresponding thread. The module management software delays transmission of the module data to the browser, if any requested resource file is not received within a time limit derived at least in part from a service level agreement.

Abstract: Methods for optimizing webpage content by micro-bucket testing user customization to the webpage include presenting a plurality of modules at a webpage based on a request from a user. The modules define an intent of the webpage. A change defining customization to one or more modules within the webpage is detected. A test case representing the change is automatically generated. The generated test case is a modified webpage having the customization. The webpage is presented to a first segment of users as a control page and the modified webpage is presented to a second segment of users in response to a request for the webpage. User interaction by the first and segment of users is monitored at the webpage and the modified webpage to determine website metrics of the corresponding webpages. The website metrics is used in defining a new control page of the webpage from the modified webpage or retaining the webpage as the control page.

Abstract: A method and apparatus for optimizing content on a topic page includes receiving a query for a topic at a topic page on a client and transmitting the query from the topic page on the client to a web application on a server. The web application includes algorithm to analyze the query to identify a plurality of content modules that match the query. The content modules are identified from anyone of a branded source or an un-branded source. One or more module performance indicators are computed for each of the identified content modules. An aggregate module performance indicator for each of the plurality of content modules is generated from the one or more computed module performance indicators. One or more content modules from the identified plurality of content modules are automatically selected for rendering on the topic page based on the aggregate module performance indicator associated with each of the identified content modules.