Method and apparatus for generating website links

A computer system for generating hyperlinks on a web page on a client computer, comprising:

• a client computer configured for communication in a network of computers;
• and
• a processor routine executing on said client computer, said processor routine:
• sending through the network a request having an input set of hyperlink parameters, the input set including indications of a merchant, an associated affiliate site and an affiliate-selected link;
• and
• in response to said request, receiving a response comprising:
• preformatted data necessary for generating at least one hyperlink, wherein said preformatted data necessary for generating said at least one hyperlink comprises computer usable or execution ready code necessary to execute each said hyperlink.

A method of delivering hyperlink generation information from a server computer, comprising the steps of:

• receiving a request having an input set of hyperlink parameters, the input set including indications of a merchant, an associated affiliate site and an affiliate-selected link;
• and
• in response to said request, sending a response comprising:
• preformatted data necessary for generating at least one hyperlink, wherein said preformatted data necessary for generating said at least one hyperlink comprises computer usable or execution ready code necessary to execute each said hyperlink.

A system for delivering hyperlink information from a server computer, comprising:

• a server computer;
• and
• a server process executing on said server computer for:
• receiving a request containing an input set of hyperlink parameters, the input set including indications of a merchant, an associated affiliate site and an affiliate-selected link;
• and
• in response to said request, sending a response comprising:
• preformatted data necessary for generating at least one hyperlink, wherein said preformatted data necessary for generating said at least one hyperlink comprises computer usable or execution ready code necessary to execute each said hyperlink.

In a network of computers, a method of generating a hyperlink on a desired Web page, comprising the steps of:

• sending through the network a request having an input set of hyperlink parameters, the input set including any combination of indications of a hyperlink data request, a user, a merchant, an affiliate site associated with the merchant and an affiliate-selected link;
• and
• in response to said request, generating a response comprising:
• an output set of hyperlink parameters, the output set including any of a merchant identifier, an affiliate site identifier and link names;
• and
• preformatted data necessary for generating at least one hyperlink, wherein said preformatted data necessary for generating said at least one hyperlink comprises computer usable or execution ready code necessary to execute each said hyperlink.