Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products identify trust and reputation information for an application. Status information including installation information and/or rating information corresponding to a software application is stored in a service or in a local computer cache. A software application is identified as corresponding to the status information, and the installation information and/or rating information is presented to a user prior to installation, launch, and/or update of the software application. Using the status information the user can make an informed decision on whether the user will trust the software application to permit the installation, launch, and/or update to occur.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed to avoid the undesirable offer, use, bundling, and other provision of applications. An application can be associated with categories or keywords and another application can be associated with restrictions prevented it from being used with applications associated with certain categories or keywords. If an application is associated with a subject matter categories that is on a subject matter exclusion list of another application, then those applications will not be used, shared, or bundled together. Similarly, an application can be prevented from use with another application based on keyword restrictions. If a first application is associated with particular keywords, such as keywords identifying market or brand, and second application identifies the same as restricted keywords, the second application will not be used with the first application. In some cases, competitors can use such techniques to prevent undesirable cross promotion, bundling, and sharing of applications.

Abstract: In general, one aspect of the subject matter described in this specification can be embodied in a system that includes a network-based information server system; and a computer operable to interact with a user interface device and operable to perform operations including: receiving from the network-based information server system status information corresponding to software applications, the status information including black-list information and phoenix-list information; updating a local cache, retained by the computer, with the status information received from the network-based information server system; generating an identifier for a software application, using a digital certificate and a hash value, when the software application is launched on the computer; checking the identifier for the software application against the status information; and notifying a user of the computer when a match is found during the checking.

Abstract: Systems and methods are disclosed for providing user-targeted advertisements to content recipients. Such advertisements may, for example, be selected using a user profile that is maintained locally at the recipient's computing or other content consuming device. A user profile can include information about the user's past viewing behavior. One exemplary embodiment uses a local content player software application to maintain a user profile based on contextual, behavioral, demographic, and other data linked to the content, the user's viewing habits, and/or location, among other things. Such a content player can select advertisements by matching user content information with user profile information. User profile information can be limited to local use to protect user privacy concerns.

Abstract: Methods, systems, and computer program products identify trust and reputation information for an application. Status information including installation information and/or rating information corresponding to a software application is stored in a service or in a local computer cache. A software application is identified as corresponding to the status information, and the installation information and/or rating information is presented to a user prior to installation, launch, and/or update of the software application. Using the status information the user can make an informed decision on whether the user will trust the software application to permit the installation, launch, and/or update to occur.