Patent ID: 7877327

Claim:
A client for authoring an application for allowing users to create, control and distribute electronic content, the client communicating with a distributed computing network, the client comprising: (a) a memory storing an instruction set and data representing the electronic content; and (b) a processor for running the instruction set, the processor in communication with the memory and the distributed computing network, the processor programmed to (i) construct a project of the electronic content from a plurality of resource files, the project presented in a canvas view having a concurrent presentation based on a selection of the canvas view by a user, the concurrent presentation comprising a canvas area for constructing screen elements of the selected resource files to create screens; a path area for illustrating graphically a relationship among nodes of the project; and a properties area for adjusting characteristics of the selected screen elements; (ii) present a reader interface on a display of the client, the reader interface allowing a user to view the project, the reader interface being accessible from the canvas view; and (iii) present a resource interface on the display of the client, the resource interface managing groups, membership in groups, and user accounts, said groups and user accounts having varying levels of control over the project; present in the resource interface a groups and users window comprising group icons; and present a members list window for one of the groups based on a selection of one of the group icons, the members list window displaying a list comprising individual members of the selected group and the member list window providing an ability to change group-specific privileges for the individual members of the selected group, the group-specific privileges comprising an ability to share one or more of the resource files.