Method and apparatus for creating the appearance of multiple embedded pages of information in a single web browser display

Claims

What is claimed is:

1. A method of displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a template for simulating a windowed-data display within an application program, said template having a first area for displaying substantially static data on said display screen, and a second area for displaying variable data therein; and

providing a control on said first area for permitting the user to specify a link to data for viewing in said second area, said control having a visible indicator in the first area indicating when the link has been selected, wherein in response to the user's selection, the selected data is displayed in the second area;

simulating a windowed-data display on said display by displaying said first area and said second area within a single application window of said application program, wherein when the user selects said control, the visible indicator indicates that the data corresponding to said link is being displayed in said second area whereby the user observing the display screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

2. The method of claim 1 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

creating said template of substantially static data on said display screen prior to a request of said data; and

creating multiple composite copies formed from said template and a plurality of differing portions of said variable data.

3. The method of claim 2 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the step of:

saving said composite copies with links reflected in a composite page, said links linking the order and user selectivity for subsequent composite pages.

4. The method of claim 1 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

selecting a single template page;

selecting a multiplicity of pages of variable data arranged in linked order preferred by the user; and

creating a composite document by merging said template and each page of variable data when called for by the user.

5. The method of claim 4 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the step of:

storing said composite pages in linked files.

6. The method of claim 1 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

initializing a database in accordance with a user selected topic;

creating links to sections of data base information or data in accordance with a data base query by user.

7. The method of claim 6 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

sorting said linked sections of data base information or data in accordance with user commanded sort order.

8. The method of claim 7 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

constructing or building a composite dynamic page on the fly; and

retrieving successive composite pages by said links at the designation.

9. A method of displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one document on a display screen adapted for web or network viewing of pages of data by a browser program, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a template page having a first predetermined substantially static area on a display screen;

creating a second predetermined area on said template page to simulate the appearance of a variable-data window on said display screen within said browser program, said second predetermined area having the capability of receiving a user requested subsection of data therein;

generating a plurality of subsections linked to said template;

providing a user selectable control on said first predetermined area for permitting the user to select specific linked subsections of data for viewing in said second predetermined area on said template page in response to a selection by the user; said control having a visible indicator in said first predetermined area indicating when the specified linked subsection of data is displayed in the second predetermined area; and

creating a multiplicity of composite pages comprising said template page and said subsections for call by users with said browser program and for display on said display screen;

displaying said composite pages with a single application window of said browser program to simulate simulating a windowed-data display on said screen; and

activating the visible indicator in the first predetermined area when the specified linked subsection of data is displayed in the second predetermined area, whereby the user observing the screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

10. The method of claim 9 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one document on a display screen adapted for web or network viewing of pages of data, said method further comprising the step of:

storing said composite pages for later recall by a user.

11. A method of creating composite pages of static and variable data for receipt on a display screen associated with a display monitor in a networking environment, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a template page having a first area of substantially static data;

creating a second static area within said template page to introduce subsections of variable data;

creating ordered and linked subsections of data;

creating a composite page for viewing in said display screen by merging said template page and said subsections in linked order;

rationalizing said subsections and said template page to permit selection of subsections on said composite page when viewed on said display screen by a viewer/user;

providing a user selectable control in said first area for permitting the user to select specific linked subsections of data for viewing in said second area on said template page in response to the user's selection, said control having a visible indicator in said first area indicating when the specified linked subsection of data is displayed in the second;

simulating a windowed-data display on said display by displaying said first area within at least a single application window; and

activating the visible indicator in the first area when the specified linked subsection of data is displayed in the second area, whereby the first area provides a structural or navigational framework to the viewer/user for the second static area and the variable subsections that the viewer/user can direct to be changed.

12. Apparatus for creating composite pages of static and variable data for receipt on a display screen associated with a display monitor in a computing system, the computer system having a processor, memory, input/output section, a keyboard, display monitor and a storage subsystem for storing programs and data therein and an operating system for said computer system, said apparatus comprising:

a template page storage device for storing a template page simulating a window data display of an application program, said template page having a first area of substantially static data and a second area for displaying variable data selected by a user on said page, the static data in said first area providing for a structural or navigational framework to the viewer/user for data contained in said second area;

link controls configured to link a plurality of ordered and linked subsections of data stored in said storage subsystem;

a retrieving device configured to receive said template page and one by one pages of linked subsections of data into said memory and for merging said template and individual ones of said pages of linked subsections into said second static area of said template to thereby create a plurality of composite pages in memory; and

a rationalizer configured to rationalize said subsections and said template to permit selection of selected composite documents when called up for viewing on a display by the user.

13. The apparatus of claim 12 for creating composite pages of static and variable data for receipt on a display screen associated with a display, said apparatus further comprising:

a browser control configured to control said retrieving device to create said composite pages.

14. A computer program product including a computer usable medium having computer readable code thereon, said medium for causing data to be written into at least the memory of a computer system, comprising:

computer readable code configured to permit user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document to be displayed on a display screen adapted for web or network viewing of selected data from a network by a browser program;

computer readable code configured to create at least one template, said template for simulating a windowed-data display within said browser program, said template comprising substantially static user data defining a predetermined area on a display screen;

computer readable code configured to create a window on said screen having the capability of receiving a variable but requested grouping of data therein;

computer readable code configured to create a control on aid static portion of said display screen for permitting the user to specify groupings of data for viewing in said variable window in response to a selection by the user, said control having a visible indicator indicating when the specified data is displayed in said variable window, said visible indicator comprising a directional area;

computer readable code configured to simulate a windowed-data display on said display screen by displaying said static user data and said variable data within at least a single application window, whereby when the computer readable program code is loaded into a computer and is operating, the user observing the screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

15. A computer program storage medium readable by a computing system and encoding a program of instructions for executing a computer process for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for web or network viewing of from a network by a browser program, said computer process comprising the steps of:

creating a template for simulating a windowed-data display within said browser program, said template having a first area for displaying substantially static data on said display screen and a second area for displaying variable data there;

providing a control on said static first area for permitting the user to specify data for viewing in said second area in response to the user's selection of data for display, said control having a visible indicator in said static first area indicating when the specified linked subsection of data is displayed in the second area; and

simulating a windowed-data display on said display by displaying said first area and said second area within a single application window of said browser program wherein when the user selects said control, the visible indicator indicates that the data corresponding to said link is being displayed in said second area, whereby the user observing the screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

16. The computer storage medium of claim 15 wherein said computer process further comprises the steps of:

preparing said template of substantially static user data defining a predetermined area on a display screen prior to a request of said data; and

creating multiple composite copies of said templates and selected and differing portions of said variable data in multiples, not necessarily in consecutive order.

17. The computer storage medium of claim 16 wherein said computer process further comprises the step of:

saving said composite copies with links in said composite page, said links linking order and user selectivity for subsequent composite pages.

18. The computer storage medium of claim 15 wherein said computer process further comprises the step of:

selecting a single template page;

selecting a multiplicity of pages of variable data arranged in linked order preferred by the user; and

creating said composite document by merging said template and each page of variable data when called for by the user.

19. The computer storage medium of claim 18 wherein said computer process further comprises the step of:

storing said composite pages in linked files for later use by others.

20. The computer storage medium of claim 15 wherein said computer process further comprises the steps of:

initializing a database in accordance with a user selected topic;

creating links to sections of data base information or data in accordance with a preselected data base query by user;

sorting said linked sections of data base information or data in accordance with user commanded sort order;

constructing or building a composite dynamic page on the fly by said user, and

retrieving successive composite pages by said links at the designation by said user.

21. A method of displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method comprising the steps of

creating a template for simulating a windowed-data display within an application program, said template having a first area for displaying substantially static data on said display screen, and a second area for displaying variable data therein; and

providing a control on said first area for permitting a user to specify data for viewing in said second area;

simulating a windowed-data display on said display by displaying said first area and said second area within a single application window of said application program, said control in said first area providing a visual link to said second area, and said control actuating the loading of new data into said second area responsive to selection of said control by the user, whereby the user observing the display screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

22. The method of claim 21 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

creating said template of substantially static user data defining a predetermined area on a display screen prior to a request of said data; and

creating multiple composite copies of said templates and selected and differing portions of said variable data in multiples, not necessarily in consecutive order.

23. The method of claim 22 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the step of:

saving said composite copies with links reflected in a composite page, said links linking the order and user selectivity for subsequent composite pages.

24. The method of claim 21 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

selecting a single template page;

selecting a multiplicity of pages of variable data arranged in linked order preferred by the user; and

creating a composite document by merging said template and each page of variable date when called for by the user.

25. The method of claim 24 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the step of:

storing said composite pages in linked files.

26. The method of claim 21 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

initializing a database in accordance with a user selected topic;

creating links to sections of data base information or data in accordance with a data base query by user.

27. The method of claim 26 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

sorting said linked sections of data base information or data in accordance with user commanded sort order.

28. The method of claim 27 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for viewing of data, said method further comprising the steps of:

constructing or building a composite dynamic page on the fly; and

retrieving successive composite pages by said links at the designation.

29. A method of displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one document on a display screen adapted for web or network viewing of pages of data by a browser program, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a template page having a first predetermined substantially static area on a display screen;

creating a second predetermined area on said template page to simulate the appearance of a variable-data window on said display screen within said browser program, said second predetermined area having the capability of receiving a user requested subsection of data therein;

generating a plurality of subsections linked to said template;

providing a user selectable control on said first predetermined area for permitting the user to select specific linked subsections of data for viewing in said second predetermined area on said template page in response to selection by a user; and

creating a multiplicity of composite pages comprising said template page and said subsections for call by users with said browser program and for display on said display screen;

displaying said composite pages with a single application window of said browser program to simulate simulating a windowed-data display on said screen, whereby the user observing the screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

30. The method of claim 29 for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one document on a display screen adapted for web or network viewing of pages of data, said method further comprising the step of:

storing said composite pages for later recall by a user.

31. A method of creating composite pages of static and variable data for receipt on a display screen associated with a display monitor in a networking environment, said method comprising the steps of:

creating a template page having a first area of substantially static data;

creating a second static area within said template page to introduce subsections of variable data in response to a viewer/user selection;

creating ordered and linked subsections of data;

creating a composite page for viewing in said display screen by merging said template page and said subsections in linked order;

rationalizing said subsections and said template page to permit selection of subsections on said composite page when viewed on said display screen by the viewer/user; and

simulating a windowed-data display on said display by displaying said first area and said second static area within at least a single application window, whereby the first area provides a structural or navigational framework to the viewer/user for the second static area and the variable subsections that the viewer/user can direct to be changed.

32. Apparatus for creating composite pages of static and variable data for receipt on a display screen associated with a display monitor in a computing system, the computer system having a processor, memory, input-output section, a keyboard, display monitor and a storage subsystem for storing programs and data therein and an operating system for said computer system, said apparatus comprising:

a template page storage device for storing a template page simulating a windowed-data display of an application program, said template page having a first area of substantially static data and a second area for displaying variable data selected by a user on said page, the static data in said first area providing for a structural or navigational framework to the viewer/user for data contained in said second area;

link controls configured to link a plurality of ordered and linked subsections of data stored in said storage subsystem;

a retrieving device configured to receive said template page and one by one pages of linked subsections of data into said memory and for merging said template and individual ones of said pages of linked subsections into said second static area of said template to thereby create a plurality of composite pages in memory; and

a rationalizer configured to rationalize said subsections and said template to permit selection of selected composite documents when called up for reviewing on a display by the user.

33. The apparatus of claim 32 for creating composite pages of static and variable data for receipt on a display screen associated with a display, said apparatus further comprising:

a browser control configured to control said retrieving device to create said composite pages.

34. A computer program product including a computer usable medium having computer readable code thereon, said medium for causing data to be written into at least the memory of a computer system, comprising:

computer readable code configured to permit user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document to be displayed on a display screen adopted for web or network viewing of selected data from a network by a browser program;

computer readable code configured to create at least one template, said template for simulating a windowed-data display within said browser program, said template comprising substantially static user data defining a predetermined area on a display screen;

computer readable code configured to create a window on said screen having the capability of receiving a variable but requested grouping of data therein;

computer readable code configured to create a control on said static portion of said display screen for permitting the user to specify groupings of data for reviewing in said variable window in response to a selection by a user;

computer readable code configured to simulate a windowed-data display on said display screen by displaying said static user data and said variable data within at least a single application window, whereby when the computer readable program code is loaded into a computer and is operating, the user observing the screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

35. A computer program storage medium readable by a computing system and encoding a program of instructions for executing a computer process for displaying multiple, user preferentially linked pages of at least one multi-paged document on a display screen adapted for web or network viewing of from a network by a browser program, said computer process comprising the steps of:

creating a template for simulating a windowed-data display within said browser program, said template having a first area for displaying substantially static data on said display screen and a second area for displaying variable data therein;

providing a control on said static first area for permitting the user to specify data for viewing in said second area in response to a selection of data for display; and

simulating a windowed-data display on said display by displaying said first area and said second area within a single application window of said browser program, whereby the user observing the screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

36. The computer storage medium of claim 35 wherein said computer process further comprises the steps of:

preparing said template of substantially static user data defining a predetermined area on a display screen prior to a request of said data; and

creating multiple composite copies of said templates and selected and differing portions of said variable data in multiples, not necessarily in consecutive order.

37. The computer storage medium of claim 36 wherein said computer process further comprises the step of:

saving said composite copies with links in said composite page, said links linking order and user selectivity for subsequent composite pages.

38. The computer storage medium of claim 35 wherein said computer process further comprises the step of:

selecting a single template page;

selecting a multiplicity of pages of variable data arranged in linked order preferred by the user; and

creating said composite document by merging said template and each page of variable date when called for by the user.

39. The computer storage medium of claim 38 wherein said computer process further comprises the step of:

storing said composite pages in linked files for later use by others.

40. The computer storage medium of claim 35 wherein said computer process further comprises the steps of:

initializing a database in accordance with a user selected topic;

creating links to sections of data base information or data in accordance with a preselected data base query by user;

sorting said linked sections of data base information or data in accordance with user commanded sort order;

constructing or building a composite dynamic page on the fly by said user, and retrieving successive composite pages by said links at the designation by said user.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a method of and apparatus for creating the appearance of multiple embedded pages of information or data in a display, and more particularly to a method and apparatus for generating the perception in the mind of a person viewing multiple pages of data in a network or Web display under control of a "browser" program.

2. Description of Related Art

When a document is viewed on a display screen, it is conventional that consecutive pages of the document are serially displayed. When documents are thus displayed, it is difficult to visualize the structure of the document. Links are conventionally formed between consecutive pages of the document so that the viewer can move to previous and subsequent pages. For example, in the `prior art` examples of FIG. 1, a browser or viewer window 10 allows scrolling of pages of text (source material 11) serially through the window 10. In this drawing, a continuous strip of source material 11, moves upwardly (giving the perception of moving the browser window 10 downwardly, as shown by the arrow 12) to view consecutive pages of text. The drawback is that what the user sees are pages in sequential order.

In FIG. 2A, the content of the same strip 11 of source material can be hidden by "folding up" the content of the numbered pages Pg. 1,2 & 3. The perception is then of seeing an abbreviated or folded up version 11a of the continuous strip 11 of source material through the viewer or browser display window 10. Microsoft Corporation's "Word" word processor has an outline function which operates in this manner as does the installation documentation displays for Netscape Communications' internet server product which operates in much the same manner on the Web. Links between the pages will allow expansion of selected pages merely by selecting an icon (for example a closed book) which allows opening the selected page, such as Pg. 1, in FIG. 2C. This allows for an improved viewer overall document perception, by expanding a part of the outline, but only allows for seeing a single page at a time while giving an illusion of improved textual navigation and one page decompression at a time. The problem is that the source material still must be sequential.

Web browser programs allow for bringing up a static page and then another etc. using HTTP (Hypertext File Transfer Protocol). This protocol has one machine establishing contact with another and then downloading of a file or files to the browser program.

In hypertext (specialized structuring of a document or documents), it is difficult for the user to maintain the viewing or navigation context. The users visual perception is that of jumping around in the text because of the lack of connection between the topical links formed. However, the difficulty is because the medium does not allow the user or viewer to maintain his place easily. The act of taking the viewer to another location is inherently disruptive.

For example, in a printed, paper book, the user may maintain contextual continuity or navigational ease by putting his fingers in the pages he wishes to turn to, and flip back and forth between those pages without losing context. There is no requirement that the pages he wishes to view are consecutive. There is no such accommodation in computer media today. The viewer of a document or documents on a display needs the convenience of being able to turn to another place or page without losing context or his present place. Before the present invention, this was not possible nor the accommodation available.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

In view of the above it is a principal object of the present invention to provide a method and apparatus for the creation and use of preferentially linked pages of at least one document on a display screen adapted for Web or network viewing of data utilizing a conventional browser program.

Another object of the present Invention is the creation of a pages of a document with a portion of a plurality of pages each having substantially fixed content. Each of such pages also having a window-like portion with the capability of receiving, variable, not necessarily sequential, content. Thus there is a contextual framework with a variable data content which permits the display viewer to proceed through pages of the document while providing a visual link there between.

Still another object of the present invention is to provide a method for creating the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the viewers navigational or location context. In this connection, the inventive method permits of the linking of substantially (1) unlimited information; (2) maintenance of the viewing or navigation context; (3) the provision of increased flexibility in navigation by avoiding the requirement that the subsections have to be arranged sequentially.

The inventive method of displaying multiple, linked pages, at the discretion of the user, of at least one document on a display screen adapted for Web or network viewing of data on the net by a browser program, begins with the step of creating at least one template of substantially static user data defining a predetermined area on a display screen. The template includes a second static area defining a variable data receiving window on the screen and having the capability of receiving requested groupings of data therein. The next step includes choosing a control on said display screen for permitting the user to specify groupings of data (topics) for viewing in the variable window.

The template and the subsections or data groupings may be combined to form composite pages and stored as such. Alternatively, the template and subsections of data may be separately saved and joined together when called for by the user/viewer to form a composite page of data on the screen. In a third embodiment, subsections may be formed on-the-fly from, for example, a database and then a composite page is created for viewing on the display screen.

The apparatus employed by the system of the present invention would of necessity combine several well known tools. For example, a workstation having the ability to prepare documents, e.g., a word processor, an editor etc. and the concomitant ability to store the results are essential to the creation of a template page with substantially static text (which is meant herein to include graphic portions). A second static portion on the template creates a window for receipt of subsections (separate linked files or pages) which may be merged and stored individually with the templates for later recall by the browser program. Other essentials for such a novel system call for a browser program and network linkages to, for example, a network or web, and the ability for remote users to access remote files containing the composite pages created by the novel method of the present invention.

As may be observed from the forgoing, the viewer/user observing the screen receives the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed. This permits easier viewing for extended periods of time by the user, and permits the user to more quickly locate and assimilate that information which is necessary for his/her task, assignment, education etc.

Other objects and a more complete understanding of the invention may be had by referring to the following description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings in which:

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWING

FIG. 1A is a schematic representation of a prior art method of viewing, on a display screen, a multiple page document.

FIG. 1B is a representation, similar to FIG. 1A but showing another page of the document.

FIG. 2A is another prior art representation of the document illustrated in FIGS. 1A and 1B but with the document have the appearance of being folded.

FIG. 2B is a representation of the folded document as seen on a display screen, so that the document appears in an outline form.

FIG. 2C is a another representation of the folded document illustrated in FIGS. 2A and 2B but with a portion of the document unfolded or expanded for viewing on the display screen.

FIG. 3 is a data processing system which provides the operative elements to perform the logical operations of the invention.

FIG. 4 is an example of a page of a document created in accordance with the present invention.

FIG. 5 depicts another page of the document with portions thereof modified in accordance with the present invention from that shown in FIG. 4 but which gives the viewer the perception of a dynamic information display while preserving the navigational or location context of the data being viewed.

FIG. 6 is a conceptual drawing illustrating how the perception of a dynamic information display is formed in the document while preserving the location and navigational context of the viewer in moving through the document.

FIG. 7 is a schematic illustration of the manner in which a page, created in accordance with the present invention, may be formed.

FIG. 8 is another schematic illustration of the manner in which a page created in accordance with the present invention may be formed.

FIG. 9 is yet another schematic illustration of the manner in which a page created in accordance with the present invention may be formed.

FIG. 10 is a flow diagram illustrating the manner in which a typical browser program works to bring a page of a document to the display screen.

FIG. 11 illustrates a plurality of documents formed of linked files for use in creating composite pages for viewing by a user at a video display.

FIG. 12 is a flow diagram illustrating the creation of composite pages as shown in FIG. 7 and formed of the documents illustrated in FIG. 11 and a template.

FIG. 13 is a flow diagram similar to that shown in FIG. 12 but for creation of composite pages as illustrated schematically in FIG. 8, and.

FIG. 14 is a flow diagram similar to FIG. 13 but for creation of composite pages as illustrated by the technique shown in FIG. 9.

DESCRIPTION OF THE ILLUSTRATIVE EMBODIMENT

The operating environment in which the present invention is used encompasses a general distributed computing system, wherein general purpose computers, workstations, or personal computers are connected via communication links of various types, in a client-server arrangement. This is done so that programs, data and the like, many in the form of objects, may be made available by and to various users on the system.

Some of the elements of a data processing general purpose workstation computer 20 are illustrated in FIG. 3, wherein a processor 21 is shown, having an input/output (I/O) section 22, a central processing unit (CPU) 23 and a memory section 24. The I/O section 22 is connected to a keyboard 25, a display or monitor 26, a disk storage unit 29, and a CD-ROM or optical disk drive unit 27. The CD-ROM unit 27 can read/write a CD-ROM medium 28 which typically contains programs and data. The computer program products which may be employed for carrying out the methods and apparatus of the present invention, may reside in the memory section 24, on disk storage unit 29 or on the CD-ROM 28 of such a system. Examples of such systems include SPARC.TM. systems offered by Sun MICROSYSTEMS, Inc., personal computers offered by IBM Corporation and by other manufacturers of IBM-compatible personal computers, and systems running the UNIX or other operating system.

Referring now to FIG. 4, an example page 40, created in accordance with the present invention, is illustrated therein. The page 40 is preferably intended to fill a major portion of the screen 26a of a display such as the display 26 in FIG. 3. While the page 40 could be smaller, it is preferably not larger than the display area. In the present instance, the page 40 comprises a first fixed area 42 (as shown within the light dashed lines) containing substantially static or fixed data, and a second fixed area 44 defining a window and containing subsections of variable data which may be changed by the viewer/user as by selection of controls or icons (e.g. the arrowheads 46) in a conventional manner well known in the art.

As shown, the page 40 may include a header portion 48, and a footer portion 49 although such is not essential to the invention. Moreover, while the page may contain any number of fixed data items in the area 42, the data selection made in the example page fixed area is designed to aid in user/viewer navigation, and maintain contextual continuity with and for the subsection variable data which appears in the second area or window 44. As will become more evident hereinafter, to preserve the illusion or perception of a static page of data with areas in which the data changes, the static area data should provide a structural or navigational framework for the variable subsections of data in the window 44. Moreover, the subsections of data within the window 44 are capable of being changed as directed by the viewer/user.

As shown in the example, the topical sections under "Guidelines" provide a navigational framework for proceeding through the "Style Guide" for the web. For example the topics which may be selected by the viewer/user not only include a "Quick Reference" to "Guidelines", but other topics such as "Purposes", "Audience", "Links", "Page Length", "Graphics", "Image Maps", "Navigation", "Security", "Quality", "Netiquette" (courtesy on the net), "Content", "Selling" etc. Under the heading of "Other Things" are general topics of interest which may be selected merely by clicking on them (as is conventionally provided in the operator interface with most modern operating systems).

Preparation of the page 40 may be accomplished employing any convenient editor or appropriate word processor which allows some command code in conjunction with the data for proper operation on the net or web by a standard browser program. In essence, and as will be recognized hereinafter, the page 40 forms a template with a first area containing substantially static information, and a second area forming a window for containing variable data as selected by the viewer/user.

In operation, and only by way of example, if the viewer/user selects "Links" on page 40 (FIG. 4), page 50 (FIG. 5) will be displayed on the display monitor 26. It will be noticed