Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for constraining individual meeting times of a task to a specified total duration of aggregated meeting times. In an embodiment of the invention, a method of constraining individual meeting times of a task to a specified total duration of aggregated meeting times is provided. The method includes selecting an event amongst a plurality of events associated with a single task in a C&S system executing in memory of a host server. The method further includes adjusting a duration of time for the selected event. The method yet further includes determining whether or not a sum total of all durations of time for the events associated with the single task exceeds a time constraint for the single task.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention address deficiencies of the art in respect to state awareness of a non-live object, and provide a method, system and computer program product for lifecycle model instance objectification of a non-activity object in an activity thread. In one embodiment of the invention, a method for lifecycle model instance objectification of non-activity objects in an activity thread can be provided. The method can include rendering an activity thread within an activity map for an activity-centric collaborative tool, creating an instance of a lifecycle model, and objectifying a non-activity object in the activity thread with the lifecycle model instance. Additionally, a status decorator can be displayed for the lifecycle model instance in association with the non-activity object in the activity map.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for shape based scheduling of events for a task in a calendaring and scheduling (C&S) system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for shape based scheduling of events for a task in a C&S system is provided. The method includes defining a shape for a range of days in a calendar view of a C&S system executing in memory of a host computer. The method further includes superimposing the shape over the range of days in the calendar view. The method yet further includes determining a block of time for each of the days in the range upon which a portion of the shape has been superimposed. Finally, the method includes scheduling at least one event for each block of time determined for each of the days in the range upon which a portion of the shape has been superimposed.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information that may describe the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.

Abstract: The present invention facilitates collaboration on electronic messages. Methods are provided in which an electronic message is stored and presented to users. A user is allowed to perform an action on the electronic message and the action is recorded. Additionally, the record is associated with the electronic message. The users are notified of the action.

Abstract: A method for rendering an e-mail item listing within a graphical user interface of an e-mail application on a display device is disclosed. The method includes receiving an input from an input device to select a first item of the e-mail item listing, applying a first selection highlighting to the first item, wherein the applied first selection highlighting is visually distinguishable from a background color of the e-mail item listing, identifying a second item of the e-mail item listing based on a relation of the second item to the first item, and applying a second selection highlighting to the second item, wherein the applied second selection highlighting is visually distinguishable from the first selection highlighting and the background color.

Abstract: A method is provided for automatically using address information from a selected message to create a new message that is unrelated to the selected message in response to a user action, such as selecting one of a plurality of improved reply options. These improved reply options may include a “New Message To” command and a “New Message To All” command that do not establish a relationship between the reply message and the selected message that could be exploited by, for example, a threading service. In particular, these commands populate address fields of the new message with values from address fields of the selected message without populating any other fields that are used to identify relationships among messages.

Abstract: A method for rendering an e-mail item listing within a graphical user interface of an e-mail application on a display device is disclosed. The method includes identifying a field of the e-mail item listing having a displayed value that matches a pre-determined value, applying a color coding to the identified field so that the color coding is visually distinguishable from a background color of the e-mail item listing, receiving an input from an input device to select either an item of the e-mail item listing that includes a color coded field or an item related to the item that includes the color coded field, and applying a selection highlighting to the item that includes the color coded field so that the applied selection highlighting is visually distinguishable from the color coded field and the background color.

Abstract: A method is provided which utilizes a threading service to offer enhanced features for a document management system including an email system. Various enhanced email features may be provided through one or more of the following components: a delete module, a reply module, a profile module, and a search module. The delete module enables a user to delete a selected message, a set of related messages, or the whole set except for the selected message. The reply module enables a user to send a reply message to all addresses associated and involved with an entire set of related messages. The profile module enables a dynamic interest profile to contain all relevant information from an outgoing message and a set of messages related to the outgoing message. The search module enables search results to include documents which match the user's query as well as documents related to the documents which match the user's query.

Abstract: A media viewing method and system monitors user interaction with an electronic program guide. An awareness engine collects data generated by the user interaction and forms awareness indicators and information. The awareness information is output to end users and is indicative of which users in a social circle are accessing (e.g. viewing, playing, or recording) or have accessed which media works. Some output enables user-to-user interaction. The media works may be supplied by cable television, satellite television, online or global computer network sources.

Abstract: A system and method is provided to assist a user in selecting, identifying, and handling email messages. A selection color module may provide for the display of color coding and selection highlighting. The selection color module may provide a secondary highlighting color to indicate messages related to a selected message. A category navigation module may provide one or more of the following: an indicator that provides the user with a number of items that are off the screen for a particular category, a command that causes the first entry for a category to be scrolled into view, a label to indicate the number of items in a particular category matching a particular criteria, and/or a control for scrolling between next or previous categories.

Abstract: A system and method are provided for generating one or more menus having options that display insights from visualizations. The options presented in the menus enable users to determine relationships between elements of the visualization. The relationships may be displayed textually to enable user to navigate the menus using a keyboard, a text-to-voice converter, and/or pointers.

Abstract: Computer method and apparatus render views of a computer generated virtual world to a remote viewer. The invention method and apparatus establish an avatar of a resident user as a proxy on behalf of the remote viewer. The computer node of the resident user exports proxy avatar views of the virtual world to the remote viewer. The remote viewer computer renders the exported virtual world views without executing virtual world application programs.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for composing and managing a presentation in a virtual world. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for composing and managing a presentation in a virtual world can include arranging a set of slides in a presentation, selecting a location in a portion of a virtual world for displaying the slides and also for attendee avatars viewing the slides, composing movements and gestures of a presenter avatar in coordination with a display of slide content of the slides, and presenting the presentation in the location of the virtual world at the location selected for displaying the slides for the attendee avatars placed the selected location for the attendee avatars while applying the composed movements and gestures of the presenter avatar coordinated with a display of slide content of the slides.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information that may describe the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information describing the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information describing the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for shape based scheduling of events for a task in a calendaring and scheduling (C&S) system. In an embodiment of the invention, a method for shape based scheduling of events for a task in a C&S system is provided. The method includes defining a shape for a range of days in a calendar view of a C&S system executing in memory of a host computer. The method further includes superimposing the shape over the range of days in the calendar view. The method yet further includes determining a block of time for each of the days in the range upon which a portion of the shape has been superimposed. Finally, the method includes scheduling at least one event for each block of time determined for each of the days in the range upon which a portion of the shape has been superimposed.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention provide a method, system and computer program product for constraining individual meeting times of a task to a specified total duration of aggregated meeting times. In an embodiment of the invention, a method of constraining individual meeting times of a task to a specified total duration of aggregated meeting times is provided. The method includes selecting an event amongst a plurality of events associated with a single task in a C&S system executing in memory of a host server. The method further includes adjusting a duration of time for the selected event. The method yet further includes determining whether or not a sum total of all durations of time for the events associated with the single task exceeds a time constraint for the single task.

Abstract: A system for providing a local computer user with detailed activity information regarding remote users, in order to assist the local user in determining whether to initiate a communication session with a remote user. The system provides activity information describing the number of instant messaging sessions one or more remote users are currently involved in, the identities of participants in those sessions, activity levels, time period information, and other information. The system further provides detailed activity information describing recent instant messaging sessions of one or more remote users.