System and method for storing and managing information

A method of storing a representation of a project on a computer, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) selecting the name of the project and representing that name by a box,
• b) dividing the project into subprojects, and representing each subproject by a "child" box, each child box being connected to the box established in step (a) by a line, each child box being located along side another child box, the child boxes being arranged in the order in which the subprojects are to be performed,
• c) repeating step (b) for each child box, thereby dividing each subproject into further subprojects, each subproject being arranged in the order in which it is to be performed, wherein step (c) is repeated until there are no more subprojects to be established, wherein there are a plurality of said lines connecting each of said boxes to another of said boxes,
• d) defining a plurality of nodes stored in the memory of the computer, each node having a unique identifier within the memory, each node corresponding to one of said boxes, and
• e) storing within each node at least one pointer, each pointer comprising only an identifier of another node, each pointer corresponding to one of said lines, wherein each node contains no application data elements other than said pointers, and wherein all information stored in the memory of the computer is stored only as a pattern of said pointers.

A method of using a computer to create a computer program, the computer having a memory, the method comprising the steps of:

• a) dividing the program into a plurality of subtasks, each subtask being capable of being further subdivided into further subtasks, each subtask being represented by a box, the boxes depending from a given box being called the child boxes of that box, and the box from which a child box depends being called the owner box of that box, all boxes which have no child boxes being called "lowest-level" boxes,
• b) connecting the boxes together with lines to define a particular order in which the subtasks represented by the boxes are to be performed,
• c) wherein the lowest-level boxes represent pre-defined procedures, stored within the memory of the computer,
• d) defining a plurality of nodes stored in the memory of the computer, each node having a unique identifier within the memory, each node corresponding to one of said boxes, and
• e) storing within each node at least one pointer, each pointer comprising only an identifier of another node, each pointer corresponding to one of said lines, wherein each node contains no application data elements other than said pointers, and wherein all information stored in the memory of the computer is stored only as a pattern of said pointers.