Abstract: A mechanism is provided for protecting a plurality of electronic files. A portable access control lock is adapted for automatically maintaining an audit trail and allowing for configuring of access control rules for constraining user access based on a mandatory presence of specified users before granting access for each electronic file including any copies of the each electronic file of the plurality of electronic files. The constraining user access based on the mandatory presence of specified users comprises specifying persons P1 and P2 both of whose presence are required in order to update or view any of the each electronic file including the copies of the each electronic file. Persons P1 and P2 are prompted by a same access agent on a same access computer for authentication credentials to access the each electronic file and the each electronic file is accessed only when persons P1 and P2 are properly authenticated.

Abstract: A method and apparatus is provided to accomplish creation and serving of data objects among various communication protocols. The method and apparatus can be used in such applications as an on-line classified advertising system on the Internet involving the World Wide Web and electronic mail. In the apparatus, a request decoder receives an incoming request, decodes the request using configurations from a configuration database in order to identify which protocol was used to transmit the request, and generates from the request a corresponding abstract data object. A data processor merges data from a main database with the abstract data object. An object formatter formats the abstract data object including the merged data. An object deliverer formats the object for outgoing transmission according to a protocol of an intended recipient. The functions of object deliverer may be performed by the object formatter.