Methods and systems for user activated automated searching

In a computer system connected to a network, a computer implemented method for performing a search over the network by a user, the computer implemented method comprising:

• selecting search data within a first application in the computer system;
• activating the search data within the first application;
• performing a search on the search data in the background with a second application, wherein the second application is of a different type than the first application, and wherein the user is not required to open the second application or view a window of the second application;
• returning search results generated by the second application to the user within the first application, wherein the user views the search results within the first application, and wherein returning search results generated by the second application to the user within the first application further comprises at least one of:
• copying at least a portion of the search results into the first application;
• pasting at least a portion of the search results into the first application;
• deleting at least a portion of the search results;
• saving at least a portion of the search results;
• or
• displaying the search results when a user moves a mouse arrow over selected data in the first application.

In a computer system that includes one or more applications that can each be activated by a user, a computer implemented method for performing a search from within an application without requiring the user to open a browser application, the computer implemented method comprising:

• selecting search data within a context of a first application at a computer;
• searching a network using a second application based on the selected search data, wherein the second application is of a different type than the first application, and wherein the second application operates in a background and is not displayed to the user, wherein the computer keeps a user in a context of the first application;
• and
• presenting search results to the user within the context of the first application, wherein presenting the search results to the user further comprises at least one of:
• copying at least a portion of the search results into the first application;
• pasting at least a portion of the search results into the first application;
• deleting at least a portion of the search results;
• saving at least a portion of the search results;
• or
• displaying the search results when a user moves a mouse arrow over data in the first application.

In a computer system that includes applications that can be activated by a user, a computer implemented method for performing a search from within a first application, wherein the first application is of a type other than a browsing application, the computer implemented method comprising:

• identifying search data that has been selected in the first application, the search data including text;
• activating the search data by providing the selected search data to a second application comprising a browsing application, wherein the browsing application performs a search on a computer network using the search data and without initiating display of an interface of the browsing application to a user;
• receiving search results from the browsing application;
• and
• presenting the search results in a context of the first application, wherein the user is not required to switch from the browsing application to the first application;
• wherein presenting the search results further comprises at least one of:
• copying at least a portion of the search results into the first application;
• pasting at least a portion of the search results into the first application;
• deleting at least a portion of the search results;
• saving at least a portion of the search results;
• or
• displaying the search results when a user moves a mouse arrow over data in the first application.