Providing access to information resources using a digital network protocol

Apparatus for use in providing a user of a computer with access to information resources via a digital network protocol, the apparatus comprising:

• a data storage device;
• a first program module stored on the data storage device in a computer-readable format;
• said first program module being operable upon execution by the computer to cause the display of a graphical user interface comprising a window separated into a number of regions;
• a first one of said regions including a number of user-selectable items, one or more of which are each associated with a different data set, said data set(s) each representative of a different category of information and each of said data set(s) comprising a number of user-selectable links to different information resources;
• a second one of said regions comprising an information display region;
• a second program module operable upon execution to request informational data to be displayed in said information display region;
• wherein said first program module is operable in response to user input to use a digital network protocol and retrieve an associated information resource using the digital network protocol, said first program module further being operable in response to the user input to notify said second program module of the user input, whereby said informational data is displayed in said second region of the graphical user interface of said first program module;
• and
• wherein said second program module is operable in response to notifications from said first program module to request the informational data to be displayed from among a larger amount of said informational data, said second program module further being operable to store statistical data regarding the display of said requested informational data.