Automatic tracking of user progress in a software application

A method of tracking user interaction with portions of a software application, said method comprising:

• a monitor program accessing a first application program interface (API) from said software application;
• wherein said first API call providing a first content descriptor identifying a first portion of the software application and a request to start measuring an amount of usage of said first portion, said tracking tracks progress in the software application by said user, and said progress identifies an amount of usage of the software application by said user;
• said monitor program determining a first usage value for said first portion of content in response to said first API call;
• said monitor program accessing a second API call from said software application comprising a second descriptor identifying a second portion of the software application and a request from the software application to start measuring an amount of usage of said second portion;
• said monitor program determining a second usage value for said second portion of content in response to said second API call;
• and
• storing, in a computer readable medium said first usage value and said second usage value associated respectively with said first descriptor and said second descriptor, wherein said first usage value and said second usage value define said user interaction with said first portion and said second portions of said software application.

A method of tracking user progress in a software application executing on an electronic device, said method comprising:

• an operating system running on said electronic device accessing a first application program interface (API) call from said software application;
• wherein, said first API call providing a first content descriptor and a request to start measuring an amount of usage of the software application, and said user progress identifies the amount of usage of the software application by said user;
• said first API call contains said request to measure said user progress;
• said operating system incrementing a usage measure until receiving a second API call from said software application requesting to stop said measuring;
• said operating system storing, in a computer readable medium on said electronic device, said usage measure and said first content descriptor, wherein said user progress in said software application is measured by said operating system as directed by said software application;
• said operating system accessing a third API call from said software applicaition, said third API call providing a second content descriptor and a provided measure of said user progress;
• and
• said operating system storing, in the computer readable medium on said electronic device, said measure of said user progress and said second content descriptor, wherein said provided measure of said user progress in said software application is provided by said software application.