System and method for delivering remotely stored applications and information

Abstract

A method and system are disclosed for delivering interactive links for presenting applications and second information at a client computer from remote sources in a network-configured computer processing system. In one embodiment, the method includes retrieving over a first communication connection, in response to a request of a client computer, informational content having computer program code embedded therein, and executing the embedded computer program code for establishing a second communication connection to an application server. The method further includes retrieving over the second communication connection first information including presentational information for presenting the application and the second information. The method also includes presenting the application and the second information based upon the presentational information, and storing on the client computer an interactive link for selectively re-establishing the second communication connection to the application server for retrieving the first information and presenting the application and the second information on an as-needed basis. Preferably, the storing of the interactive link includes downloading a graphical representation of the interactive link and storing a file containing information representing an operating environment of the client computer and a network address of the application server.