User interface for collecting criteria and estimating delivery parameters

A non-transitory machine-readable medium having instructions stored therein, which when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform a method, the method comprising:

• presenting information representing a user interface to a content provider, the user interface including a display area arranged to display a plurality of editable regions and a plurality of user-selectable options, at least one said editable region being for use in receiving data indicative of a network location from which said data can be accessed, wherein the user-selectable options include at least one communications service provider for enabling said data access, one or more categories in which the data can be located via searching, and an amount of resources to be allocated by the content provider to at least subsidize delivery of the data;
• storing information representing the data to be delivered, one or more categories associated with the data, and the amount of resources allocated for delivery of the data in a database, wherein the database includes stored therein information associated with a plurality of data items of a plurality of content providers for distribution;
• in response to a search request received from a client device of a user for searching content based on a keyword, identifying a list of content items from the database based on the keyword;
• and
• transmitting the list of content items to the client device to be presented to the user, the list of content item including a first content item that is free to access and a second content item that requires an additional resource from the user to access, wherein the additional resource is determined based on a respective amount of resource allocated by a respective content provider to subsidize delivery of the second content item.

A data processing system, comprising:

• a processor;
• and
• a memory coupled to the processor for storing instructions, which when executed from the memory, cause the processor to
• present information representing a user interface to a content provider, the user interface including a display area arranged to display a plurality of editable regions and a plurality of user-selectable options, at least one said editable region being for use in receiving data indicative of a network location from which said data can be accessed, wherein the user-selectable options include at least one communications service provider for enabling said data access, one or more categories in which the data can be located via searching, and an amount of resources to be allocated by the content provider to at least subsidize delivery of the data,
• store information representing the data to be delivered, one or more categories associated with the data, and the amount of resources allocated for delivery of the data in a database, wherein the database includes stored therein information associated with a plurality of data items of a plurality of content providers for distribution,
• in response to a search request received from a client device of a user for searching content based on a keyword, identify a list of content items from the database based on the keyword, and
• transmit the list of content items to the client device to be presented to the user, the list of content item including a first content item that is free to access and a second content item that requires an additional resource from the user to access, wherein the additional resource is determined based on a respective amount of resource allocated by a respective content provider to subsidize delivery of the second content item.