Patent ID: 7707137

Claim:
A computer-implemented method for browsing a collection of metadata to locate media content associated with an item of metadata, wherein the computer includes a processor, the method comprising: receiving a selection of an affinity from a user, wherein the affinity specifies a baseline preference of the user, wherein the affinity is represented by a gel, wherein the gel is a colored transparent object within a view that visually represents a weight of a metadata category used to select media content for browsing, wherein receiving the selection of the affinity involves receiving the results of a drag and drop operation from the user, and wherein the user dropped the gel into a selection area, receiving a weight of the affinity to create a weighted affinity, wherein receiving the weight of the affinity involves receiving the results of a resize operation performed by the user, wherein the user resized the gel thereby causing a corresponding change in the weight of the affinity, and wherein the size of the gel represents the corresponding weight of the affinity; determining a value for each item of metadata in the collection of metadata that specifies how well each item of metadata fits the weighted affinity; and arranging the collection of metadata in a view, so that items of metadata with similar values are arranged in close proximity within the view, and so that items of metadata with dissimilar values are not arranged in close proximity within the view.