Method and apparatus for accessing information through a user friendly interface

摘要

A system for accessing information either from a local data base or over the Internet includes a data access device adapted to display an image of a friendly environment, the image including image elements which suggest to a user certain types of information of interest. The image further includes display areas for displaying messages identifying the information associated with certain image elements. When an image element is selected, a second image is shown by the data access device. This second image includes indicia of several information categories. The indicia can be selected causing a web browser to download and display the corresponding information. This information may be generic or may be user-specific.