Tracking and graphical display of user activity on an information network

摘要

Relationships among a plurality of web pages are indicated to a plurality of users. Icons are displayed, each of which corresponds to one of the web pages. Data associated with each of the pages is maintained for each of the users. This data may exist in the web page or be entered as a notation by each user. Data maintained locally for one user can be provided to another user. Web pages which have already been accessed are also indicated. A map is provided to guide the user so that the user may know which web pages have been accessed, which web pages are to be accessed next and what each web page means to the user Icons are added to the map for each material accessed. Links between icons may be established by the user or by the creator of the map. These links are displayed on the map as a user traverses among the accessible materials. The map may also exist at several levels such that the links and icons at a given level are collapsed into a single icon at the next lower or next higher level when that next lower or next higher level is viewed.