Collaborative web browser

A computer-implemented method for allowing a pilot computer to cause a passenger computer including a passenger Web browser to display a predetermined Web page, comprising the steps of:

• at the pilot computer, transmitting the uniform resource locator (URL) of the predetermined page to a control site, the control site being a member of the Web, such that the control site can retrieve the predetermined page;
• at the passenger computer, transmitting a code to the control site and, if the code is valid, receiving in response thereto an active control from the control site;
• and
• causing the active control to cooperate with the passenger Web browser to download the predetermined Web page from the control site.

A system for allowing a pilot computer to cause a passenger computer including a passenger Web browser to display a predetermined Web page, comprising:

• at the pilot computer, logic means for transmitting the uniform resource locator (URL) of the predetermined page to a control site, the control site being a member of the Web;
• at the control site, logic means for retrieving the predetermined page;
• at the passenger computer, logic means for transmitting a code to the control site;
• at the control site, logic means for determining whether the code is valid, and if so, transmitting in response thereto an active control to the passenger computer;
• and
• logic means for causing the active control to cooperate with the passenger Web browser to download the predetermined Web page from the control site.

A computer program product embodying program instructions operating on at least one control computer for enabling one or more first computers to cause one or more selected files to be viewed on at least one second computer, the program product comprising program instructions for:

• receiving from the first computer, an address of a first one of said one or more selected files;
• retrieving said first one of said one or more selected files according to said address;
• disabling pointers in said retrieved file to create a modified file;
• and
• sending said modified file to said second computer.

A computer program product embodying program instructions running on at least one control computer for enabling a first user at a first computer to conduct a collaborative web session with one or more second users at one or more second computers, the program product comprising program instructions for:

• receiving from the first computer, a URL idenfifying a web address of a selected one of one or more web files, wherein said selected web file is chosen by said first user as a file to be viewed during the collaborative session;
• retrieving said selected web file using the received URL;
• and
• providing said retrieved web file to said one or more second computers for viewing by said one or more second users.

A control-site computer system for enabling one or more first computers to cause one or more selected files to be viewed on at least one second computer, comprising:

• means for receiving from the first computer, an address of a first one of said one or more selected files;
• means for retrieving said first one of said one or more selected files according to said address;
• means for disabling pointers in said retrieved file to create a modified file;
• and
• means for sending said modified file to said second computer.

A system for enabling at least one first user to conduct second users on a collaborative web session of one or more files, comprising:

• a control site computer;
• a first computer for use by a first user, the first computer in communication with said control site computer via the web;
• a second computer having access to said control site computer via the web;
• first computer program means executable by said first computer and allowing the first user to select a page for said web session, wherein said first computer program means provides a URL of said selected page to the control site;
• and
• control site computer program means executable by said control site computer to receive from the first computer, the URL identifying a web address of the selected web file, retrieve said selected web file using the received URL, and provide said retrieved web file to one or more second computers for viewing by said one or more second users.

A control-site computer system executing computer program code for enabling one or more first computers to conduct an interactive web session with at least one second computer, said computer program code comprising code means for:

• receiving from the first computer, an address of a first one of one or more selected files for the interactive web session;
• retrieving said first one of said one or more selected files according to said address;
• disabling pointers in said retrieved file to create a modified file;
• and
• sending said modified file to said second computer.