Abstract: A geographic information system allows users to access a map database and to contribute map data to the database. Proposed edits to the map are queued for review by a reviewer users. Reviewing users can subscribe to review edits in regions and/or to types of map features. Reviewers can share their subscriptions with other reviewers. In the moderation queue, the proposed edits are ranked and those edits proposed by users who also review are optionally ranked higher and thus reviewed sooner than edits proposed by users who do not review or review less. The history of reviewers is analyzed to identify those with expertise in a particular region and/or type of map feature. One embodiment of the system includes a database containing geographic data, an inference module, a spam prevention module, a reviewing module and a publishing module.

Abstract: A likelihood that a map listing is spam is determined by referencing identifying information associated with the listing. The determination is made in real-time such that an identifying term associated with the map listing that has not previously been encountered may be recorded and made available instantly to identify other, correlated terms. These pair-wise correlations are used to generate a pattern of heuristics that identifies a hierarchy of which pairs of map listing terms most commonly appear together. The likelihood that the map listing is a legitimate listing increases for those pairs of key words that occur together in a map listing. The value more accurately reflects the likelihood that the map listing is legitimate as more edits to the listing are received. If the map listing is determined to be likely spam, the listing is removed from a group of searchable listings.

Abstract: A geographic information system allows users to access a map database and to contribute map data to the database. Proposed edits to the map are queued for review by a reviewer users. Reviewing users can subscribe to review edits in regions and/or to types of map features. Reviewers can share their subscriptions with other reviewers. In the moderation queue, the proposed edits are ranked and those edits proposed by users who also review are optionally ranked higher and thus reviewed sooner than edits proposed by users who do not review or review less. The history of reviewers is analyzed to identify those with expertise in a particular region and/or type of map feature. One embodiment of the system includes a database containing geographic data, an inference module, a spam prevention module, a reviewing module and a publishing module.

Abstract: An automated task centered collaboration technique is described that significantly lowers the technological entry barrier for the development and deployment of a broad class of collaborative applications, which are termed Task Centered Collaboration (TCC) applications. TCC applications facilitate the processing of a large number of work items, or tasks, by people working independently or in small, synchronously collaborating groups. The technique also provides a mechanism for the study of computer mediated communication and human-computer interactions for this class of applications. The technique creates an abstraction applicable to the broad class of TCC applications, which enables the factoring out of significant portions of the application into a common infrastructure.