Managing user information on an e-commerce system

A system for enabling an e-commerce web site to manage user information for both site server users and regular web site users, the system comprising:

• a site server;
• (a) logic that provides the site server comprising a membership directory component with directory information stored thereon including preferences, roles, and details identifying the users, wherein the details of the users include a user name and a legal name;
• (b) logic that provides a database separate from the membership directory component of the site server, the database having table information stored in a plurality of database tables, including preferences, roles, and details identifying the users, wherein the details of the users include a user name and a legal name, wherein the preferences include a currency in which monetary values are displayed and a language in which text is displayed, and wherein the roles relating to the users include a customer, a manager, and an employee;
• (c) logic that authenticates an identity of one of the users with an active server page, for determining whether the user is a site server user or a regular web site user;
• (d) logic that provides a single interface framework of components which provides user information access by both site server users and regular web site users upon authentication of the identity of the user;
• (e) logic that allows site server users to view and change the information identifying the user that is stored on the membership directory component of the site server;
• and
• (f) logic that allows regular web site users to view and change the information identifying the user that is stored on the plurality of database tables in the database.

A computer program stored on a computer readable medium for enabling an e-commerce web site to manage user information for both site server users and regular web site users, comprising:

• (a) a code segment that provides a site server comprising a membership directory component with directory information stored thereon including preferences, roles, and details identifying the users, wherein the details of the users include a user name and a legal name;
• (b) a code segment that provides a database separate from the membership directory component of the site server, the database having table information stored in a plurality of database tables, including preferences, roles, and details identifying the users, wherein the details of the users include a user name and a legal name, wherein the preferences include a currency in which monetary values are displayed and a language in which text is displayed, and wherein the roles relating to the users include a customer, a manager, and an employee;
• (c) a code segment that authenticates an identity of one of the users with an active server page, for determining whether the user is a site server user or a regular web site user;
• (d) a code segment that provides a single interface framework of components which provides user information access by both site server users and regular web site users upon authentication of the identity of the user;
• (e) a code segment that allows site server users to view and change the information identifying the user that is stored on the membership directory component of the site server;
• and
• (f) a code segment that allows regular web site users to view and change the information identifying the user that is stored on the plurality of database tables in the database.