Method for interfacing with a multi-media information system

In an interactive multi-media information system comprising a server and a plurality of remote client subscriber stations operatively coupled to the server, each subscriber supporting one or more user sessions, a method for displaying multimedia information in two or more user sessions, the method comprising the steps of:

• starting a first user session;
• sorting multimedia information in a first sequence;
• displaying the multimedia information in the first sequence on the display device in the first user session;
• starting a second user session:
• sorting the multimedia information in a second sequence;
• displaying the multimedia information in the second sequence on the display device in the second user session.

In an interactive multi-media information system comprising a server having storage, said server in communication with a plurality of remote client subscriber stations, each subscriber station comprising a set-top having a processor and a memory, a display device coupled to the set-top, and an input device in communication with the subscriber station, having a plurality of keys, a method for processing selections identified by a user utilizing the input device, the method comprising the steps of:

• requesting, via a remote subscriber station, a first set of digital data representing a first multi-media program from the server;
• retrieving from the storage on the server the first multi-media program;
• displaying the first multi-media program on the display device;
• prompting the user to select a request for multi-media information by pressing a key on the input device;
• receiving, at the server, a signal representing the pressed key;
• retrieving from the storage on the server the requested multi-media information as a function of the received signal;
• displaying the requested multi-media information on the display device:
• and
• wherein the first sequence is an alphabetical sequence of the multimedia information and the second sequence is derived from the first sequence by rotating the first sequence.

In an interactive multi-media information system comprising a display device, a method for displaying multimedia information, the method comprising the steps of:

• defining a first set of multimedia information, wherein the first set of multimedia information comprises information associated with paying advertisers;
• defining a second set of multimedia information, wherein the second set of multimedia information comprises information associated with free advertisements;
• displaying the a first set of multimedia information on a first page on the display device;
• and
• displaying the a second set of multimedia information on a second page on the display device, said second page accessible by scrolling a window in the display device.