Community co-presence system

A data retrieval system comprising:

• a data server for retrieving at least one of a plurality of data objects from a data repository;
• a co-presence server;
• and
• at least two co-presence data-retrieval clients for communicating at least with said data server and with said co-presence server;
• said co-presence server comprising:
• community means for at least maintaining a list of co-presence data retrieval clients associated with a community;
• and
• at least one virtual place having a list of co-presence data-retrieval clients from said community at said virtual place at least for enabling communication among said co-presence data-retrieval clients associated therewith,
• each of said co-presence data retrieval clients comprising:
• object association means for associating a data object received from said data server with one of said at least one virtual places in said co-presence server;
• and
• co-presence means, associated with said one virtual place, for associating said client with said community and for enabling communication among said co-presence data-retrieval clients associated with said one virtual place.