Co-presence data retrieval system which indicates observers of data

A co-presence data-retrieval client comprising:

• data retrieval means for requesting a data server to retrieve a data object;
• object association means for associating a virtual place with an accessed data object;
• and
• means for enabling communication and observation between at least two data-retrieval clients that are associated with said at least one virtual place and for associating said at least two data-retrieval clients with one or the other of said channels in accordance with a user-defined awareness state.

A computer product readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for co-presence at a data object, said method steps comprising:

• generating one virtual place per data object retrieved from a data server;
• associating each virtual place with its data object once its data object is accessed;
• providing each virtual place associated with each retrieved data object with communication and observation channels for at least two users that access said data object;
• and
• associating said at least two users with one or the other of said channels in accordance with a user-defined awareness state.

A computer product readable by a machine, tangibly embodying a program of instructions executable by the machine to perform method steps for co-presence at a data object for a client, said method steps comprising:

• requesting a data server to retrieve a data object;
• associating a virtual place with an accessed data object;
• enabling communication or observation between at least two data-retrieval clients that are associated with said at least one virtual place;
• and
• associating said at least two data-retrieval clients with one or the other of said channels in accordance with a user-defined awareness state.