Patent ID: 7970850
Filing Date: 2011-06-28
Classification: H04L

Abstract:
1. A system comprising: at least one processor and at least one computer readable memory, said computer readable memory having stored thereon program code for providing an instant messaging based virtual file system, said program code including: program code for generating, within an instant messaging system user interface, a display object for receiving, through said instant messaging system user interface, an indication from a local user of a plurality of sharing users made up of instant messaging buddies selected by said local user from a buddy list displayed in said instant messaging system user interface; program code for generating, within said instant messaging system user interface, a display object for receiving, through said instant messaging system user interface, an indication from said local user of at least one file to be shared among said plurality of sharing users; program code for generating, within said instant messaging system user interface, a display object enabling only one of said plurality of sharing users to check out said file at a time; program code for allowing only said one of said plurality of sharing users having checked out said file to modify said file; program code for distributing copies of said file to each of said plurality of sharing users to be stored as local copies of said file; program code for allowing read access to said local copies of said file to ones of said sharing users not currently having said file checked out; program code for distributing, to each of said plurality of sharing users, indications of whether said local copies of said file are currently up to date; and program code for displaying, within said list of shared files in said instant messaging system user interface, visual indications of whether local copies of said shared files in said list are currently up to date.