Gathering, storing and using reputation information

A computer-readable medium storing computer instructions, which, when executed, enables a computer system operating with a reputation provider having a reputation updater, a reputation storer, an access decision rating maker, and reputation history storage having access decision storage for collecting and maintaining historical party reputation data and for using the historical party reputation data to calculate an access decision rating, the computer-readable medium storing computer instructions for performing a method comprising:

• collecting reputation information relating to a requester;
• storing requester's reputation information;
• calculating an access decision rating based upon requester's reputation information;
• and
• storing the access decision rating.

A method for deploying a system having a reputation updater, a reputation storer, an access decision rating maker, and reputation history storage having access decision storage, for collecting and maintaining historical party reputation data and for using the historical party reputation data to calculate an access decision rating and recalculating the access decision rating when the historical party reputation data has changed, the method comprising a process comprising:

• collecting reputation information relating to a requester;
• storing requester's reputation information;
• calculating an access decision rating based upon requester's reputation information;
• and
• storing the access decision rating.

A system for collecting and maintaining historical party reputation data and for using the historical party reputation data to calculate an access decision rating and recalculating the access decision rating when the historical party reputation data has changed, the system comprising:

• a reputation updater for updating a reputation when a party's reputation has changed;
• a reputation storer for storing the party's reputation;
• an access decision rating maker for making a rating on a party's access abilities based upon the party's reputation;
• and
• reputation history storage for storing a party's reputation having access decision rating storage for storing previous and present access decision storage ratings.