Patent ID: 8108483

Claim:
In a computer network having a computing device that communicates with a remote computing device, a method for maintaining on the computing device a user namespace that reflects items stored on the remote computing device, the method comprising: receiving by the computing device an identification of an item stored on the remote computing device, which is networked with the computing device; instantiating a ghost-Boolean variable that is associated with the item stored on the remote computing device, wherein a false setting of the ghost-Boolean variable indicates that the item is available to be transmitted from the remote computing device, and wherein a true setting of the ghost-Boolean variable indicates that the item is not available to be transmitted from the remote computing device; in response to determining that the ghost-Boolean includes a false setting, presenting by the computing device in a graphical interface, a first pictorial depiction of the item stored on the remote computing device, wherein the first pictorial depiction indicates that the item is available to be transmitted from the remote computing device to the computing device; detecting that the item is not available to be transmitted from the remote computing device to the computing device; and based on the item not being available to be transmitted from the remote computing device to the computing device, transforming the ghost-Boolean variable to include a true setting and presenting a second pictorial depiction of the item stored on the remote computing device, wherein the second pictorial depiction of the item is different than the first pictorial depiction of the item and wherein the second pictorial depiction indicates that the item is not available to be transmitted.