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A mechanism is described in which data from a first application running on a first computer is stored for access over a network by a second application running on a second computer. In one aspect, messages are periodically broadcast over the network to indicate that data has been stored for transfer

A mechanism is described in which data from a first application running on a first computer is stored for access over a network by a second application running on a second computer. In one aspect, messages are periodically broadcast over the network to indicate that data has been stored for transfer. A list is displayed identifying computers that have broadcast messages regarding the transfer of data. In one aspect, the data is part of a file rather than an entire file.

대표청구항 ▼

What is claimed is: 1. A method for transferring data between computers on a network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: storing data from a file associated with a first application executing on a first computer on the network for transfer to a second computer on the network;

What is claimed is: 1. A method for transferring data between computers on a network, the method comprising the computer-implemented steps of: storing data from a file associated with a first application executing on a first computer on the network for transfer to a second computer on the network; periodically broadcasting, using a broadcast protocol, a source message to two or more destinations on the network, the source message indicating that the data from the file associated with the first application is stored for transfer to the second computer; wherein broadcasting comprises automatically determining, by a broadcasting service executing on the first computer and not based on specific selection of the two or more destinations on the network, to which two or more destinations on the network to simultaneously send the source message; receiving a destination message indicating a request to transfer the data from the file associated with the first application to the second computer; and in response to the destination message, transferring the data from the file associated with the first application over the network to the second computer, including pasting the data from the file associated with the first application directly into a specified location of a specified file associated with a second application executing on the second computer. 2. The method of claim 1, further comprising the computer-implemented step of: in response to a broadcast protocol query message that queries the network for one or more computers acting as servers and having data stored for transfer, displaying at the second computer an indication that the source message was broadcast. 3. The method of claim 2, wherein the step of displaying an indication includes displaying an identification of one or more computers connected to the network that have broadcast a source message; and wherein the step of sending a destination message is in response to a selection from the display at the second computer. 4. The method of claim 1, wherein the first application is different than the second application; and wherein the step of storing the data from the first application includes storing the data in a form compatible with the second application. 5. The method of claim 4, further comprising the steps of: converting the data from a first application format to a common format prior to storing the data for access by the second application; and converting the data from the common format to a second application format at the second computer. 6. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing data includes storing the data on the first computer. 7. The method of claim 1, wherein the data is a portion of a file that is less than the entire file; wherein the step of storing the data includes storing the portion of a file that is less than the entire file; and wherein the step of transferring the data includes transferring the portion of the file that is less than the entire file. 8. The method of claim 1, wherein the network is a private network; and wherein the step of broadcasting a source message is limited to broadcasting the source message to destinations on the private network. 9. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of transferring the data includes automatically transferring the data from the first computer to the second computer in response to the destination message from the second computer. 10. The method of claim 1, further comprising the steps of: sending to the first computer an authentication request; sending to the second computer from the first computer information to authenticate the first computer, in response to the authentication request; and sending to the second computer from the first computer an identifying message identifying a location in memory at which the data is stored. 11. The method of claim 10, wherein the step of transferring the data is initiated by the second computer by pulling the data from where it is stored. 12. The method of claim 1, wherein the steps of broadcasting the source message and transferring the data are initiated by a third computer different than the first computer and the second computer. 13. The method of claim 12, wherein the step of storing the data stores the data on the third computer. 14. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of storing the data is in response to performance of a "Cut", "Copy", or "Copy To" operation using the first application, whereby the data is stored in a temporary storage of the first computer. 15. The method of claim 1, further comprising the step of performing a "Paste" or "Paste From" operation using the second application, whereby a query message is triggered to query whether a source message has been broadcast over the network. 16. The method of claim 1, wherein the step of broadcasting a source message includes sending an e-mail message. 17. A method for transferring part of a file over a private network from a source application executing on a source computer to a destination application executing on a destination computer, the method comprising the steps of: storing the part of a file in memory for transfer to the destination computer, in response to performance of an operation from within the source application; periodically broadcasting, using a broadcast protocol, a source message to two or more destinations on the network, the source message indicating that the part of a file from the source application is stored for transfer to at least the destination computer; wherein broadcasting comprises automatically determining, by a broadcasting service executing on the source computer and not based on specific selection of the two or more destinations on the network, to which two or more destinations on the network to simultaneously send the source message; identifying, by a broadcasting service executing on the destination computer, one or more computers that have stored part of a file in association with the network address of at least the destination computer, in response to an operation from within the destination application; receiving a destination message indicating a request to transfer the part of a file to the destination computer; sending an authentication request to the source or destination computer; sending to the source or destination computer that sent the authentication request, in response to the authentication request, information to authenticate the source or destination computer that did not send the authentication request; and transferring the part of a file to a specified location within a specified file at the destination application over the private network, in response to selection of the source computer by the destination computer. 18. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for transferring data over a network between a first application executing on a first computer and a second application executing on a second computer, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of: storing data from a file associated with a first application executing on a first computer on the network for transfer to a second computer on the network; periodically broadcasting, using a broadcast protocol, a source message to two or more destinations on the network, the source message indicating that the data from the file associated with the first application is stored for transfer to the second computer; wherein broadcasting comprises automatically determining, by a broadcasting service executing on the first computer and not based on specific selection of the two or more destinations on the network, to which two or more destinations on the network to simultaneously send the source message; receiving a destination message indicating a request to transfer the data from the file associated with the first application to the second computer; and in response to the destination message, transferring the data from the file associated with the first application over the network to the second computer, including pasting the data from the file associated with the first application directly into a specified location of a specified file associated with a second application executing on the second computer. 19. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of: in response to a broadcast protocol query message that queries the network for one or more computers acting as servers and having data stored for transfer, displaying at the second computer an indication that the source message was broadcast. 20. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the step of displaying an indication includes displaying an identification of one or more computers connected to the network that have broadcast a source message; and wherein the step of sending a destination message is in response to a selection from the display at the second computer. 21. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the first application is different than the second application; and wherein the step of storing the data from the first application includes storing the data in a form compatible with the second application. 22. The computer-readable medium of claim 21, further comprising the steps of: converting the data from a first application format to a common format prior to storing the data for access by the second application; and converting the data from the common format to a second application format at the second computer. 23. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the step of storing data includes storing the data on the first computer. 24. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the data is a portion of a file that is less than the entire file; wherein the step of storing the data includes storing the portion of a file that is less than the entire file; and wherein the step of transferring the data includes transferring the portion of the file that is less than the entire file. 25. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein the network is a private network; and wherein the step of broadcasting a source message over the network is limited to broadcasting the source message to the private network. 26. The computer-readable medium of claim 18, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of: sending to the first computer an authentication request; sending to the second computer from the first computer information to authenticate the first computer, in response to the authentication request; and sending to the second computer from the first computer an identifying message identifying a location in memory at which the data is stored. 27. A computer-readable medium carrying one or more sequences of instructions for transferring part of a file over a private network from a source application executing on a source computer to a destination application executing on a destination computer, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of: storing the part of a file in memory for transfer to the destination computer, in response to performance of an operation from within the source application; periodically broadcasting, using a broadcast protocol, a source message to two or more destinations on the private network, the source message indicating that the part of a file from the source application is stored for transfer to at least the destination computer; wherein broadcasting comprises automatically determining, by a broadcasting service executing on the source computer and not based on specific selection of the two or more destinations on the network, to which two or more destinations on the network to simultaneously send the source message; identifying, by a broadcasting service executing on the destination computer, one or more computers that have stored part of a file in association with the network address of at least the destination computer, in response to an operation from within the destination application; receiving a destination message indicating a request to transfer the part of a file to the destination computer; sending an authentication request to the source or destination computer; sending, in response to the authentication request and to the source or destination computer that sent the authentication request, information to authenticate the source or destination computer that did not send the authentication request; and transferring the part of a file to a specified location within a specified file at the destination application over the private network, in response to selection of the source computer by the destination computer. 28. A system for transferring data between computers on a network, the system comprising: means for storing data from a file associated with a first application executing on a first computer on the network for transfer to a second computer on the network; means for periodically broadcasting, using a broadcast protocol, a source message to two or more destinations on the network, the source message indicating that the data from the file associated with the first application is stored for transfer to the second computer; wherein the means for broadcasting comprise means for automatically determining, by a broadcasting service executing on the first computer and not based on specific selection of the two or more destinations on the network, to which two or more destinations on the network to simultaneously send the source message; means for receiving a destination message indicating a request to transfer the data to the second computer; and means for transferring, in response to the destination message, the data from the file associated with the first application over the network to the second computer, including pasting the data from the file associated with the first application directly into a specified location of a specified file associated with a second application executing on the second computer. 29. A computer system comprising: a memory; a network interface; and one or more processors coupled to the memory and configured to execute one or more sequence of instructions for transferring data between computers on a network, wherein execution of the one or more sequences of instructions by one or more processors causes the one or more processors to perform the steps of: storing data from a file associated with a first application executing on a first computer on the network for transfer to a second computer on the network; periodically broadcasting, using a broadcast protocol, a source message to two or more destinations on the network, the source message indicating that the data from the file associated with the first application is stored for transfer to the second computer; wherein broadcasting comprises automatically determining, by a broadcasting service executing on the first computer and not based on specific selection of the two or more destinations on the network, to which two or more destinations on the network to simultaneously send the source message; receiving a destination message indicating a request to transfer the data from the file associated with the first application to the second computer; and in response to the destination message, transferring the data from the file associated with the first application over the network to the second computer, including pasting the data from the file associated with the first application directly into a specified location of a specified file associated with a second application executing on the second computer. 30. The method of claim 1, wherein the first computer is executing a first operating system and the second computer is executing a second operating system that is a different operating system from the first operating system.