Method and apparatus for providing and maintaining a user-interactive portal system accesible via internet or other switched-packet-network

An Internet Portal, comprising:

• an Internet-connected server;
• and
• a portal software executing on the server;
• wherein the portal interacts with a browser plug-in executing on a user's Internet-connected appliance, such that, when the user invokes a destination from the browser, wherein the destination requires a secure logon, the portal software cooperates with the browser plug-in to furnish the data necessary for a successful log-on transparent to the user.

An Internet Portal application executable on an Internet-connected server, comprising:

• a log-on facility adapted for users to enter log-on information from an Internet-connected appliance for access to the Portal application;
• and
• a plurality of stored personal pages associated each with one or more specific users;
• wherein individual personalized pages list plural Internet destinations enabled by hyperlinks, wherein upon invocation of a hyperlink by a user, the portal invokes a URL for the destination, and upon connection with the destination, transparently provides any required log-on information for user access at the destination.

An Internet Portal application executable on an Internet-connected server, comprising:

• a log-on facility adapted for users to enter log-on information for access to the Portal application;
• and
• a plurality of stored personal pages associated each with one or more specific users;
• wherein the portal application interacts with a browser plug-in executing on a subscriber's Internet-connected appliance, such that, when the user invokes a destination from the browser, wherein the destination requires a secure log-on, the portal software cooperates with the browser plug-in to furnish the data necessary for a successful log-on transparent to the user.

A method for accessing and interacting with WEB pages on the Internet, comprising steps of:

• (a) using an Internet-capable appliance, logging on to a Portal server, which returns a personalized page for the user logging on, the personalized page having listed plural Internet destinations enabled by hyperlinks;
• (b) selecting a hyperlink in the personalized page, thereby invoking a URL for a destination, and, upon connection to the destination, automatically providing user log-on information for the user;
• and
• (c) interacting with the page automatically provided.

A method for accessing and interacting with WEB pages on the Internet, comprising steps of:

• (a) using an Internet-capable appliance, logging on to a Portal server as a subscriber, the portal server storing data associated with Internet destinations frequently accessed by the subscriber;
• (a) using a browser with a plug-in for interacting with a Portal server executing on the Internet-capable appliance, invoking a URL to a destination WEB page;
• (b) upon being presented with a log-in interface by the destination WEB page, calling the Portal server by the plug-in;
• and
• (c) furnishing necessary log-in data by the Portal server, and accomplishing secure log-in for the subscriber substantially transparently to the subscriber.