Patent ID: 7467348

Claim:
A method for selecting and viewing a directory listing over a computer network comprising: receiving a search request from a user; presenting a plurality of directory listings to the user based on the search request wherein each of the listings has a sponsor; providing a plurality of buttons, wherein each of the buttons is associated with one of the directory listings; providing the user with an offer to self sponsor the directory listing by actuating one of the buttons to facilitate communications for the user to accept the offer to sponsor a selected listing; verifying an identifying of the user before allowing the user to self sponsor the selected listing; obtaining a universal resource location to an active and browseable sponsor web page for the selected listing from the user; retrieving the active and browseable self sponsor web page associated with the directory listing selected by the user and displaying the directory listing selected by the user concurrently with the active and browseable sponsor web page that was retrieved in a single web page if the directory listing is a self sponsor; and retrieving the active and browseable sponsor web page from a third party sponsor if the directory listing is not a self sponsor.