Abstract: Initiating a predefined function responsive to detecting a selected graphic control moved into a zone within a user interface. One or more zones may be defined, and a corresponding function is defined for each zone. Responsive to movement of the selected graphic control in an orthogonal direction and releasing the control in a particular zone, a particular function is invoked, the particular function corresponding to the zone in which the control is released.

Abstract: Applications generating events, and system facilities generating events, send notifications of the events to a system event sink. The event sink is preferably associated with an operating system, and provides an application programming interface for registering listeners. (In one alternative approach, the event sink operates as a centrally-accessible or network-accessible entity, where it may concurrently interact with more than one client.) Upon receiving a notification of an event, the event sink forwards the notification to any registered listeners. Optionally, filters may be used to specify criteria to be met before a notification is forwarded to the listener. An event does not rely a particular application for displaying the event to an end user. As one example, notification of a newly-arrived e-mail message might be presented in a chat window of an instant messaging client.

Abstract: A system and method for providing sticky applications are provided. A “sticky application” is an operating system (OS) level application that has the ability to “stick” to web applications and become a part of the web page on which the web application is running. While the sticky application is stuck to the web application, it behaves as if it were a web application with respect to the user. When the user chooses to “unstick” the application, it will return to behaving as an OS level application. The sticky application imitates being a web-based application instead of an operating system level application while stuck. This imitation involves the sticky application being placed on pixel coordinates within a web page of the web application and the sticky application remaining in the pixel coordinates within the web page where it is placed even when a user modifies the representation of the web page.

Abstract: A system for verifying a sender's intent to send an e-mail message to a recipient includes a sender computer having memory and a processor, a sender mail server having memory and a processor, wherein the sender mail server is connected to the sender computer, an e-mail program, wherein the e-mail program is stored in the sender computer's memory, an e-mail message, wherein the e-mail message is stored in the sender computer's memory, an e-mail address verification program, wherein the e-mail address verification program is stored in the sender computer's memory, and a sender correspondence database, wherein the sender correspondence database is stored in the sender computer's memory. A method for verifying a sender's intent to send an e-mail message to a recipient is also disclosed.

Abstract: A change in contact information for a communicator can be identified. Contact metrics can be acquired for the communicator. The contact metrics can specify details of communications between the communicator and at least one other party. At least one previously established programmatic rule can be applied to the acquired contact metrics to automatically determine whether each of the parties is a recipient who should be notified of the change in contact information based upon comparing the contact metrics relating to that party and the communicator against at least one previously established threshold. Recipients can be selectively added to a recipient list based upon results of the applied programmatic rule. The recipient list can represent a listing of parties who are to be notified of the change in contact information.

Abstract: Scrolling through a large file using a small scroll handle can be challenging for users. Using the small scroll handle to navigate through the large file rarely produces accurate results. Functionality can be implemented to navigate through file content without the user having to locate, click on, and drag the scroll handle. Content navigation can be achieved by employing knowledge of a current focus in the file and performing scroll jumps in accordance with binary search techniques. Navigation scope for the file can be refined at each iteration, based on a user indicating whether to move up or down in the file after each intermediate position. Such a technique for content navigation can help users locate content in a file with greater speed and accuracy.

Abstract: A user is enabled to choose a particular landmark to display on a particular view of a digital map instead of a landmark chosen by a digital map designer. This particular landmark may then represent all landmarks that are in close proximity to each other within a geographical area on the digital map when only one of the landmarks can be displayed on that particular view of the digital map.

Abstract: A computer system displays an image of a first geographic location by a computer system, receives a user selection of a portion of the image of the first geographic location, processes the user-selected image portion to identify a meaning for the user-selected image portion, computes a logical connection between the computer system identified meaning and a second geographic location, and directs the user to the second geographic location. Computing the logical connection may include finding a match between a significance of the second geographic location and the meaning identified for the user-selected image portion. Receiving a user selection of an image portion may include receiving a user selection identifying an ad within the image and wherein the processing to identify a meaning for the user-selected image portion includes identifying a meaning for the ad.

Abstract: An implementation for detecting interruptions in audio conversations between a plurality of participants comprising continuously recording the most recent predetermined time segment of the conversation stream of one participant in the conversation, monitoring the conversation stream of the participant for interruptions in said conversation stream and storing the most recent segment prior to the interruption in response to a detection of an interruption. The segment is represented by a conversation marker. The user may then select the conversation marker to playback this most recent segment, so that he may then decide whether he wishes to resume or pursue the interrupted conversation fragment.

Abstract: Systems, methods, and articles of manufacture for facilitating workflow control for a document. In one embodiment, a portion of computer program source code is associated with a workflow. The computer program is monitored for reference to or by the portion of the computer program source code. In response to a reference to or by the computer program source code, the workflow is fired off.

Abstract: Provided is a Captcha Access Control System (CACS) for generating an improved captcha that are based, in one described embodiment, upon a command in one format and a response in a different format, one or both of which are rendered in a format that is difficult for an automated system to interpret. A computer system or program to which a user is requesting access generates a textual or audible command. A video device captures the user's response and transmits the response to a response evaluation device. Based upon an analysis of the transmitted video and a comparison between the analyzed video and the command, the computer or program either enables access or denies access.

Abstract: A set of edited changes associated with an editable file is displayed on a display associated with a computing device in response to receipt of a request via a user input device to display the plurality of edited changes. A contextual representation of the editable file is displayed. A context indicator is displayed within the contextual representation of the editable file that represents a location within the editable file associated with a first of the displayed set of edited changes. The context indicator is iteratively updated to represent a location within the editable file associated with each selected element of the displayed set of edited changes in response to detection of user selections of elements of the displayed set of edited changes received via the user input device.

Abstract: An approach is provided that receives a message from a first user. The first user's message requests a license to a licensed product that has previously been purchased by the organization. The system identifies current users in the organization that currently have licenses to the licensed product. A need score is calculated that reflects a needs analysis of the first user to the licensed product. Current user need scores are calculated and these need scores correspond to the needs of the current users pertaining to the licensed product. The first user's need score is compared to the current user product need scores and a second user is selected based on the comparison where the first user's need score is better than the second user need score. The second user's license to the licensed product is revoked and the first user is granted a license to the licensed product.

Abstract: A computer implemented method, apparatus, and computer usable program code for refactoring methods of an application. A rating for a method within the application is identified to form a rated method. The rated method is placed in a grouping based on the rating identified for the method. A data processing system is designated to process the grouping.

Abstract: Provided is a method for the distribution and control of digital content such that Quality of Experience (QoE) is maintained. Content is protected from when the content is encrypted to when it is used. To ensure the QoE of particular content, a content owner embeds a list of required or preferred components that must be employed to render the content. The content owner's list of required or preferred components specifies specific components “trusted” to correctly process the content. The specified chain of preferred components is compared to possible devices in the system that processes the content. If there are multiple acceptable devices for a specific link, a preference system is employed to determine the device that executed the particular part of the chain. The preference system is based upon a number of factors, such as, but not limited to, performance characteristics, user preferences, expected stability, power requirements and system preferences.

Abstract: Slides are selectively presented via a slide presentation system based upon a priority level assigned to a slide presentation. The assigned priority level indicates which of the slides to selectively present and includes a first priority level of at least two priority levels associated with the slide presentation. A request is received during the selective presentation of the slides, via an input device associated with the slide presentation system, to change the priority level assigned to the slide presentation to a second priority level of the at least two priority levels. The remaining slides of the slide presentation are selectively presented via the slide presentation system based upon the second priority level. This abstract is not to be considered limiting, since other embodiments may deviate from the features described in this abstract.

Abstract: A system, method, and program product are provided that inform users of changes in geographically bound rules. This is performed by receiving, via a GPS device, a first geographic location. Identifying, based on the received first geographic location, a first geographic region, and retrieving a first set of geographically bound rules that correspond to the identified geographic region. After a period of time, a second geographic location is received and a second geographic region is identified based on the second geographic location. If the first geographic region is different than the second geographic region, then the system retrieves a second set of geographically bound rules corresponding to the identified geographic region. The first set of geographically bound rules is compared to the second set of geographically bound rules, resulting in one or more different geographically bound rules. The users are then informed of the different geographically bound rules.

Abstract: It has been discovered that damage to an optical disc can be used as a damage signature for that optical disc. The damage signature can be digitally represented to uniquely identify the optical disc in combination with other identifying information that identifies the optical disc. Services, such as a restore service, can be provided to a user after validation of a digital damage signature of an optical disc.

Abstract: A predictive personal video recorder (PVR) can include a tuner, a buffer, a predictive tuner, and a predictive buffer. The tuner can be configured to allow viewing of a currently-selected digital video channel chosen from a plurality of digital video channels received by a predictive PVR. The buffer can be configured to store video data of the currently-selected digital video channel, allowing time-shifted viewing of the currently-selected digital video channel. The predictive tuner can be configured to capture video data for a predicted digital video channel. The predicted digital video channel can be selected based upon a predictive factor. The predictive buffer can be configured to store the captured video data for the predicted digital video channel received by the predictive tuner to allow time-shifted viewing of said predicted digital video channel.

Abstract: Mechanisms for providing a social network aware input dictionary are provided. A social network of users is monitored to determine the words and terms utilized by the users as part of their communication and interaction within the social network. Words and terms are ranked, or prioritized, within the social network based on a determined increase/decrease in popularity of the words/terms as determined from the monitoring of the social network. Based on the ranking of these words/terms, individual input dictionaries associated with devices used by the users of the social network may be automatically updated to include/remove these words/terms and/or increase/decrease a relative priority of the words/terms within the input dictionaries. Such automatic updating may be performed regardless of whether the particular user has used the word/term or not.