Method and computer system for publishing information

摘要

A method and a system take submissions of information offered for distribution or sale, combines partially or entirely at least two submissions to form a combination and distributing the combination in one or more forms. The system takes submissions from authors automatically over a network such as the Internet. Authors provide files for publication e.g., in XML files. Authors also provide the contractual terms for their publications. The system stores the submissions in two parts: content and descriptors that describe the content. On receipt of an order for distribution or sales, the system combines the contents and descriptors from at least two submissions to form a combination of the submissions. The system stores the contractual terms so that the authors are paid according to the distribution or sales of his or her publications. Customers provide their purchase orders for publications to the system. Customers can purchase publications in part or in whole as permitted by the contractual terms regarding the publications. Customers can also combine a publication with another publication or a personalized content submitted by the customers as permitted by the contractual terms regarding the publications. Customers can further select the output forms of their purchases, such as print media or electronic media, as permitted by the contractual terms regarding the publications. <IMAGE> <IMAGE>