Favicon

Abstract: The history of browsing in a distributed database, such as the Internet, is presented in a global history window. Each document browsed is represented by a page icon selected as representative of content in the browsed document. Each link between browsed pages is represented by a roadway to connect the respective selected page icons. The user's present position is indicated by an icon or other manner. Features proximate to the user's present position may be enlarged. In the preferred embodiment, the global history map is presented on an apparently curved surface having a variety of features which serve to orient the user in the map. With each new request for retrieval of a new document, the global history map window is presented wherein the building of a new roadway serves as a progress indicator for retrieving the new document. A new page icon indicative of the content of the new document is selected. The new page icon is presented proximate to a terminus of the new roadway. An end of road icon at the terminus of the new roadway is presented once the new document is retrieved.

Abstract: Electronic mail client software has a mailbox displayer which lists messages together with an icon for each message where the icon is associated with the MIME type of the message. Mail which contains a file attachment is listed in the inbox with an icon indicative of the type of file attached to the email. The mailbox displayer interprets the MIME type and selects the appropriate icon either from the icon registry in the OS or from a directory of icons maintained by the email client software. The mailbox displayer component preferably includes all of the functionality of state-of-the-art mailbox displayers and includes the functionality of looking to a directory of icons for display with information about the message based on the MIME type and subtype of the message. If there is no appropriate icon in the directory of icons, the mailbox displayer uses icon image data contained in a subpart of the MIME message if it is available. Otherwise, no icon or a generic icon is used. According to the presently preferred embodiment, a type table is maintained by a type updater component. The type table includes a list of message types and subtypes together with filenames of scalable icons to be used by the mailbox displayer.

Abstract: A method for receiving page-specific user feedback concerning a particular web page of a website includes using a comment icon viewable on the page to solicit one or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the page from a user. In one embodiment, the method includes using software associated with the comment icon to automatically communicate a request for a comment window to a remote computer system that is separate from a computer system hosting the website in response to the user selecting the comment icon, receive the comment window from the remote computer system, present the comment window to the user, and receive one or more or more page-specific open-ended comments concerning the page from the user provided using the comment window for reporting to a website owner. In another embodiment, the method includes using software associated with the icon and incorporated into a computer system of the user for purposes of research concerning one or more particular web pages to determine a page identifier of the page in response to the user accessing the page and receive the page-specific user feedback concerning the page from the user for reporting in association with the determined page identifier of the page to an entity sponsoring the research.

Abstract: A method for moving icons on a display of a mobile device, either on the display or into a folder is provided. When an icon has been selected to be moved, its appearance is altered with respect to the other icons so as to provide a visual cue to the user regarding the move and the altered icon is overlaid on the other icons as it moves thereover. The icon may be displayed with a move cursor indicating where the icon will be placed if the current position is selected. A method is also provided for creating new folders on the display using a dialog box that is configured to enable a name and icon for the folder to be chosen and/or selected. Default names and folder icons may be used and alternative icons may also be presented in the dialog box to enable a preview of the choices.