Apparatus and method for retrieving information using standard objects

A method in a client computer for browsing, wherein the client computer is connected via a network to a document-server computer, comprising the machine executed steps of:

• receiving a document from the document-server computer, wherein the document comprises at least one embedded link, wherein the embedded link specifies an address of a linked object, and wherein the address points to an object-server computer in the network;
• extracting a file name of the linked object from the embedded link;
• determining whether the linked object has a corresponding object in a plurality of standard-set objects by comparing the file name of the linked object to the names of the plurality of standard-set objects;
• when a corresponding standard-set object does not exist in the plurality of standard-set objects, using the address to retrieve the linked object from the object-server computer and presenting information in the linked object to a user;
• and
• when the corresponding object does exist in the plurality of standard-set objects, substituting a corresponding standard-set object for the linked object and presenting information in the corresponding standard-set object to the user instead of retrieving the linked object, and wherein the information in the corresponding standard-set object is different from the information in the linked object.

A program product, the program product comprising:

• a name list of a plurality of standard-set objects, wherein the standard-set objects contain information for presentation to a user of a client computer;
• a browser that receives a document from a document-server computer connected via a network to the client computer, wherein the document comprises at least one embedded link, wherein the embedded link specifies an address of a linked object, and wherein the address points to an object-server computer in the network,
• and wherein the browser extracts a file name of the linked object from the embedded link,
• and wherein the browser determines whether the file name exists in the name list,
• and when the linked object does not have a corresponding object in the standard-set, the browser retrieves the linked object from the object-server computer and presents information in the linked object to the user,
• and when the linked object has a corresponding object in the standard-set, the browser substitutes a corresponding standard-set object for the linked object and presents information in the corresponding standard-set object to the user instead of retrieving the linked object, and wherein the information in the corresponding standard-set object is different from the information in the linked object;
• and
• signal bearing media bearing the name list and the browser.

A client computer, wherein the client computer is connected via a network to a document-server computer, the client computer comprising:

• a memory;
• a processor;
• a name list of a plurality of standard-set objects, wherein the standard-set objects contain information for presentation to a user of the client computer;
• and
• a browser, executing on the processor, wherein the browser receives a document from the document-server computer, wherein the document comprises at least one embedded link, wherein the embedded link specifies an address of a linked object, and wherein the address points to an object-server computer in the network,
• and wherein the browser extracts a file name of the linked object from the embedded link, and wherein the browser determines whether the file name exists in the name list,
• and when the file name is not in the name list, the browser uses the address to retrieve the linked object from the object-server computer and presents information in the linked object and information in the document to the user,
• and when file name is in the name list, the browser substitutes a corresponding standard-set object for the linked object and presents information in the corresponding standard-set object and information in the document to the user instead of retrieving the linked object, and wherein the information in the corresponding standard-set object is different from the information in the linked object.