There are many types of commonly used programs with computer systems such as workstations. One such program is known as a web browser. Such programs, including by way of example and not limitation Microsoft Internet Explorer, Netscape Navigator, Mozilla Firefox, Opera and others, enable a user to selectively access web sites available over the Internet. Most computer users are familiar with such programs which run in an operating system environment with a window-style or graphical user interface and many use a browser almost continuously in their work. Other types of application programs include word processing, email, spreadsheet, and others.
Most browser programs have as a default that the program will, on initiation, direct the user to a preselected web site, often referred to as a “home page”. Indeed, most browsers have a function which enables a user to set the web site to which the browser is directed in initiation of execution. This default presupposes that a user has only a single web site which is most frequently accessed.
For many sophisticated users, this browser functionality is a limitation. Such users, sometimes also referred to as “power users”, frequently have lists of bookmarked web sites to which they frequently refer, and may prefer on initiating a browser session to have the session open to a web site other than the one stored in memory as the “home page” for that browser. A power user may have multiple sessions of a browser, or even multiple different browser programs, operating at the same time in order to provide near simultaneous access to a plurality of web sites.
Other application programs may have similar default characteristics, such as a word processing program opening to a blank document, an email program checking for mail on a particular mail server, and so forth.
With the foregoing in mind, it is a purpose of this invention to provide a user with greater flexibility in the use of an application program. In realizing this purpose for the specific example of a browser program, a program is provided which offers a user a simple way to access alternatives to the “home page” web site on initiating operation of a browser program. In particular, a browser program in accordance with this invention offers a user the option of opening a session directly to the preselected “home page” web site or displaying a list of alternatives from which the user may select another web site as the site accessed as the browser program initiates.
With other application programs, the alternatives may be such as providing a user with the option of selecting a particular document to open in a word processing program or a particular mail server for an email program.
Some of the purposes of the invention having been stated, others will appear as the description proceeds, when taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, in which:
While the present invention will be described more fully hereinafter with reference to the accompanying drawings, in which a preferred embodiment of the present invention is shown, it is to be understood at the outset of the description which follows that persons of skill in the appropriate arts may modify the invention here described while still achieving the favorable results of the invention. Accordingly, the description which follows is to be understood as being a broad, teaching disclosure directed to persons of skill in the appropriate arts, and not as limiting upon the present invention.
The present invention may be implemented in a computer system, in a method of operating a computer system, and in the form of a program product distributed for use in a computer system.
Turning first to implementation in a computer system,
It should be noted that a variety of pointing devices may be used with such a system. These can include a mouse (wired or wireless), a pointing stick such as a Trackpoint, a touch pad, a trackball and possibly other types of devices. Reference is made herein to a control signal originating from a pointing device as a “mouse click”, as that terminology has become well known. Notwithstanding that usage, it is to be understood that the control signal may be originated from the other types of pointing devices, as provision is always made with such devices for at least two control signals, conventionally known as a “left click” and a “right click” from the positioning of the relevant switches on a classic wired mouse.
The system 10, as suggested, includes a monitor or display 11, on which information relevant to the operation of the system appears for the user.
As described above, the desktop display 20 provides a number of icons, typically selected by a software provider to represent their product. Here, such icons are represented by simple blocks, labeled as being for a web browser 21, a word processing program 21, and an email program 22. While the invention will here be described with particular reference to using an icon to initiate program execution, many window-style operating systems provide an alternate in the form of a program listing which may be identified in the manner of “All Programs” and which access program identifiers which here are also called icons. It is the intention of this invention that the functionality here described and illustrated may be applied to such an “All Programs” listing as well as to desktop access. Once an understanding of this invention is gained from the description and illustrations which follow, the “All Programs” implementation will become clear to the person of ordinary skill in the applicable arts.
Referring first to the icon for a web browser,
Conventional operating systems provide an alternative in that a user, having selected an icon for activation as described above may use a second signal, commonly a right mouse click, to display beside the icon a menu box. Conventionally, that menu box provides a list of options, such as opening the program, deleting the icon, sending the icon to a different display, displaying the properties of the icon or program, and others.
The present invention modifies the alternative just described. More particularly and as shown in
A program product as described here may be distributed on diskettes such as the diskette 30 of
In the drawings and specifications there has been set forth a preferred embodiment of the invention and, although specific terms are used, the description thus given uses terminology in a generic and descriptive sense only and not for purposes of limitation.