Patent ID: 8352874

Claim:
A system for communicably linking a first user of a first computing device having a first display to a group of users of computing devices, the group of users having at least one member comprising a second user of a second computing device having a display, the system comprising in combination: a rendered desktop on the display of the first computing device; a group icon visibly rendered on the desktop, the group icon being associated with the group of users of computing devices whereby selection of the group icon by the first user initiates transmission of a greeting communication over a network from the first computing device to other computing devices associated with the group of users, wherein the first user is not required to specify an identity of a member of the group of users during or after the selection of the group icon, wherein the greeting communication informs the group of users that a member of the group of users has interacted with the group icon by changing an appearance of the group icon rendered on displays associated with the other computing devices, wherein the appearance is a first manifestation when the selection of the group icon is first type of selection and the appearance is a second manifestation when the selection is a second type of selection, wherein the first manifestation is different than the second manifestation, and wherein the first manifestation represents a first emotion of the first user to the group of users and the second manifestation represents a second emotion of the first user to the group of users.