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A method and system for distributing an electronic publication allows the distribution of customized publications, including customized advertising, customized content, or both. In accordance with the method for distributing an electronic publication, an electronic publication is retrieved from stor

A method and system for distributing an electronic publication allows the distribution of customized publications, including customized advertising, customized content, or both. In accordance with the method for distributing an electronic publication, an electronic publication is retrieved from storage. The electronic publication is delivered to the consumer by electronically sending the electronic publication to the consumer's electronic mail address. In accordance with another aspect of the invention, the electronic publication may include customized advertising. A consumer profile associated with the consumer is stored in a database and comprises a plurality of profile data items. A database of content items and advertising items is created, including at least some targeted advertising items. Each targeted advertising is associated with an inclusion criterion wherein a decision as to whether the inclusion criterion for a particular advertisement has been met depends upon the value of one or more profile data items. The electronic publication is created and comprises some content items and at least one targeted advertising item. The targeted advertising item is included because the inclusion criterion for that targeted advertising item has been met.

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1. A computerized system for distributing an electronic publication comprising: a storage medium;computer software stored on the storage medium and operable to: retrieve an electronic publication;receive, from a publisher, a designation for each of a plurality of items of the electronic publication

1. A computerized system for distributing an electronic publication comprising: a storage medium;computer software stored on the storage medium and operable to: retrieve an electronic publication;receive, from a publisher, a designation for each of a plurality of items of the electronic publication as one of an exportable item or a non-exportable item; andsend the electronic publication to the consumer's electronic mail address,wherein the electronic publication is suitable for viewing by a reading application installed on a consumer's computer, the reading application operable to control the export of the plurality of items by a consumer, the reading application operable to permit the consumer to export one or more exportable items from the electronic publication, the reading application operable to prevent the consumer from exporting one or more non-exportable items from the electronic publication. 2. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic publication comprises at least one advertising item, the electronic publication configured to output the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication after the passage of a predetermined amount of time during which the electronic publication has been in use. 3. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic publication comprises at least one advertising item, the electronic publication configured to output the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a specific content item in the electronic publication. 4. The system of claim 3, wherein the electronic publication is configured to output the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a predetermined part of the specific content item in the electronic publication. 5. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic publication comprises a plurality of advertising items, and wherein the electronic publication is configured for the successive presentation of the plurality of advertising items to the consumer of the electronic publication at respective predetermined points in time which are spaced from each other by a predetermined amount of time. 6. The system of claim 5, wherein the publisher computer is further operable to: receive and maintain information about the amount of time which a user spends reading an electronic publication during each access thereto; andset the predetermined amount of time as a function of such information. 7. The system of claim 1, wherein the publisher computer is further operable to compress the electronic publication and deliver the electronic publication to the consumer in a compressed format. 8. The system of claim 1, wherein the electronic publication is a periodical electronic publication that is published once in a predetermined period and wherein the publisher computer is further operable to deliver the electronic publication to the consumer during each predetermined period until a subscription runs out. 9. The system of claim 1, wherein: when preventing the consumer from exporting the one or more non-exportable items, the reading application on the consumer's computer is operable to prevent the consumer receiving the electronic publication from saving the at least one item from the electronic publication; andwhen permitting the consumer to export the one or more exportable items, the reading application on the consumer's computer is operable to permit the consumer receiving the electronic publication to save the at least one item from the electronic publication. 10. A computerized system for receiving an electronic publication comprising: at least one non-transitory computer readable storage medium;computer software stored on the computer readable storage medium and operable to: receive an electronic publication sent electronically to a consumer's electronic mail address;present the electronic publication to the consumer through at least one interface; andcontrol the export of items from the electronic publication by the consumer using a reading application installed on a user's computer,wherein the electronic publication comprises a plurality of items, the computer software operable to use the reading a application to prevent the export of items designated as non-exportable and permit the export of items designated as exportable. 11. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic publication comprises at least one advertising item, the computer software operable to output the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication after the passage of a predetermined amount of time during which the electronic publication has been in use. 12. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic publication comprises at least one advertising item, the computer software operable to output the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a specific content item in the electronic publication. 13. The system of claim 12, wherein the computer software is operable to output the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a predetermined part of the specific content item in the electronic publication. 14. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic publication comprises a plurality of advertising items, and wherein the computer software is operable to successively present the plurality of advertising items to the consumer of the electronic publication at respective predetermined points in time which are spaced from each other by a predetermined amount of time. 15. The system of claim 10, wherein the computer software is operable to receive the electronic publication in a compressed format and to decompress the electronic publication. 16. The system of claim 10, wherein the electronic publication is a periodical electronic publication that is published once in a predetermined period and wherein the computer software is operable to receive the electronic publication during each predetermined period until a subscription runs out. 17. The system of claim 10, wherein the reading application on the consumer's computer is operable to: prevent the consumer from saving items designated as non-exportable; andpermit the export of items by allowing the consumer to save items designated as exportable. 18. A method for the distributing an electronic publication, comprising: receiving, from a publisher, a designation for each of a plurality of electronic items of the electronic publication as one of an exportable item or a non-exportable item; andsending the electronic publication to at least one consumer's electronic mail address over a computer network,wherein the electronic publication is suitable for viewing by a reading application installed on a consumer's computer, the reading application operable to control the export of the plurality of items by a consumer, the reading application operable to permit the consumer to export one or more exportable items from the electronic publication, the reading application operable to prevent the consumer from exporting one or more non-exportable items from the electronic publication. 19. The method of claim 18, further comprising configuring the electronic publication for the output of at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication after the passage of a predetermined amount of time during which the electronic publication has been in use. 20. The method of claim 18, further comprising configuring the electronic publication for the output of at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a specific content item in the electronic publication. 21. The method of claim 20, further comprising configuring the electronic publication for the output of at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a predetermined part of the specific content item in the electronic publication. 22. The method of claim 18, further comprising configuring the electronic publication for the successive output of a plurality of advertising items to the consumer of the electronic publication at respective predetermined points in time which are spaced from each other by a predetermined amount of time. 23. The method of claim 22, further comprising: receiving and maintaining information about the amount of time which a user spends reading an electronic publication during each access thereto; andsetting the predetermined amount of time as a function of such information. 24. The method of claim 18, further comprising compressing the electronic publication and delivering the electronic publication to the consumer in a compressed format. 25. The method of claim 18, wherein the electronic publication is a periodical electronic publication that is published once in a predetermined period and wherein the method further comprises delivering the electronic publication to the consumer during each predetermined period until a subscription runs out. 26. The method of claim 18, wherein: when preventing the consumer from exporting the one or more non-exportable items, the reading application on the consumer's computer is operable to prevent the consumer receiving the electronic publication from saving the at least one item from the electronic publication; andwhen permitting the consumer to export the one or more exportable items, the reading application on the consumer's computer is operable to permit the consumer receiving the electronic publication to save the at least one item from the electronic publication. 27. A method for receiving an electronic publication comprising: receiving an electronic publication sent electronically to a consumer's electronic mail address via a computer network;presenting the electronic publication to the consumer using at least one interface; andusing a reading application on a consumer's computer to electronically control the export of items from the electronic publication by the consumer,wherein the electronic publication comprises a plurality of items, the method further comprising using the reading application to prevent the export of items designated as non-exportable and using the reading application to permit the export of items designated as exportable. 28. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic publication comprises at least one advertising item, and wherein the method further comprises outputting the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication after the passage of a predetermined amount of time during which the electronic publication has been in use. 29. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic publication comprises at least one advertising item, and wherein the method further comprises outputting the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a specific content item in the electronic publication. 30. The method of claim 29, further comprising outputting the at least one advertising item to the consumer of the electronic publication in response to the access of a predetermined part of the specific content item in the electronic publication. 31. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic publication comprises a plurality of advertising items, and wherein the method further comprises successively presenting the plurality of advertising items to the consumer of the electronic publication at respective predetermined points in time which are spaced from each other by a predetermined amount of time. 32. The method of claim 27, wherein receiving the electronic publication comprises receiving the electronic publication in a compressed format, and the method further comprises decompressing the electronic publication. 33. The method of claim 27, wherein the electronic publication is a periodical electronic publication that is published once in a predetermined period and wherein receiving the electronic publication comprises receiving the electronic publication during each predetermined period until a subscription runs out. 34. The method of claim 27, wherein the reading application on the consumer's computer is operable to: prevent the consumer from saving items designated by a publisher as non-exportable; andpermit the export of items by allowing the consumer to save items designated by the publisher as exportable.