Software notes

• US 6,411,310 B1
• Filed: 07/01/1996
• Issued: 06/25/2002
• Est. Priority Date: 01/27/1994
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: 3M Innovative Properties Company (3M Company)
• Original Assignee: Minnesota Mining and Manufacturing Co (3M Company)
• Inventors: Grunes, Mitchell B., Kruse, John M., Kenner, Martin A., Eisenberg, Peter M., Munson, Cindy L., Mertens, Timothy A., Berquist, David T.
• Primary Examiner(s): dela Torre, Crescelle N.
• Application Number:
  US08/674,082
• Time in Patent Office: 2,185 Days
• Field of Search: 395/335, 395/339, 395/348, 395/350, 395/773, 395/761, 395/346, 395/792, 395/135, 345/764, 345/767, 345/769, 345/775, 345/776, 345/781, 345/783, 345/788, 345/799, 345/802-805, 345/835, 345/839, 345/856, 345/859, 345/860, 345/620, 345/629, 345/113, 345/114, 345/118, 345/119, 345/145, 345/335, 345/339, 345/348, 345/350, 345/346, 345/435, 707/500, 707/512, 707/530
• US Class Current: 715/764
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 3/0481 based on specific properties of the displayed interaction object or a metaphor-based environment, e.g. interaction with desktop elements like windows or icons, or assisted by a cursor's changing behaviour or appearance
• CPC Class Codes: G06F 40/169 Annotation, e.g. comment data or footnotes
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/10 Office automation; Time management

Abstract

The present invention implements in a data processing environment, many of the attributes of paper Post-it® notes. The note program of the present invention need not be resident in an application program, and the notes of the present invention may be moved directly between windows or between regions without being saved in an intermediate memory, may be easily dispensed either from a note dispenser of a window or on a desktop, may overlap the boundary of a window, may be automatically saved, may be attached to a document within a window so that the note moves with the document, may overlap a boundary of a window, may be resized with the constraint that the note may not be resized off of a window, may be moved across a window boundary, and may be attached to an object, such as a character, a word, a sentence, or paragraph of a document.

Claims

1. A method comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of:

executing program code in the data processing system so that first and second windows are displayed, so that the second window has a client area, and so that the first window has a note; and

,

moving the note from the first window directly to the second window so that the note is attached to content within the client area of the second window directly upon releasing the note and so that the note remains separate from the content.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing one or more application programs so that the first and second windows are displayed.

3. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing one or more operating systems so that the first and second windows are displayed.

4. The method of claim 1 wherein the note resulted from execution of a note program, wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing program code so that the first and second windows are compliant with the note program, and wherein the note is attached to the second window because the second window is compliant with the note program.

5. The method of claim 1 wherein the note resulted from execution of a note program, wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing program code so that the first window is compliant with the note program and so that the second window is noncompliant with the note program, and wherein the note is not attached to the second window because the second window is noncompliant with the note program.

6. The method of claim 5 further comprising the step of providing immediate feedback that the second window will not accept the note.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the first window is active, wherein the second window is inactive, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from the active window to the inactive window without making the inactive window active.

8. The method of claim 7 wherein the step of moving the note from the active window to the inactive window comprises the step of moving the note to the inactive window so that the note is inactive after the note is moved to the inactive window, and so that the note remains inactive until the note is made active.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the first window is inactive, wherein the second window is inactive, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from the first inactive window to the second inactive window without making the second inactive window active.

10. The method of claim 9 wherein the step of moving the note from the first inactive window to the second inactive window comprises the step of moving the note to the second inactive window so that the note remains inactive after the note is moved to the second inactive window and until the note is made active, and so that the second inactive window remains inactive after the note is attached to the second inactive window and until the second inactive window is made active.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the first window is inactive, wherein the second window is active, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from the inactive window to the active window without making the inactive window active.

12. The method of claim 11 wherein the step of moving the note from the inactive window to the active window comprises the step of moving the note to the active window so that the note becomes active after the note is moved to the active window, and so that the active window remains active after the note is attached to the active window and until the active window is made inactive.

13. The method of claim 1 wherein the note is a first note, wherein the first or second window has a second note, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the first note so that the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.

14. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note across a boundary of the first or second window.

15. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of moving the note across a boundary comprises the step of attaching the note to an object in the second window so that the note is attached to the object in the second window directly upon releasing the note and so that the note moves with the object.

16. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of moving the note across a boundary comprises the step of dragging the note from the first window directly to the second window.

17. The method of claim 14 wherein the step of executing program code in the data processing system comprises the step of executing program code so that first and second notes are displayed, so that the first note is attached to the first window, so that the second note is attached to the second window, and so that at least some information concerning the first and second notes is added to an index.

18. The method of claim 17 wherein the step of moving the note across a boundary comprises the step of dragging the note from the first window directly to the second window.

19. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of executing program code in the data processing system comprises the step of executing program code so that first and second notes are displayed, so that the first note is attached to the first window, so that the second note is attached to the second window, and so that at least some information concerning the first and second notes is added to an index.

20. The method of claim 19 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of dragging the first note from the first window directly to the second window.

21. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of dragging the note from the first window directly to the second window.

22. The method of claim 21 wherein the step of dragging the note comprises the step of attaching the note to an object in the second window so that the note is attached to the object in the second window directly upon releasing the note and so that the note moves with the object.

23. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of attaching the note to an object in the second window so that the note is attached to the object in the second window directly upon releasing the note and so that the note moves with the object.

24. The method of claim 1 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of displaying the note so that the note overlaps a boundary of the second window.

25. A method comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of:

executing a first program in the data processing system, wherein a first region is displayed in response to execution of the first program, and wherein the first region has a note;

executing a second program in the data processing system, wherein a second region is displayed in response to execution of the second program, wherein the second region has non-title content, and wherein the first and second programs are different programs; and

,

moving the note from the first region directly to the second region so that the note is attached to the non-title content of the second region without becoming assimilated into the content, wherein the note is attached to the second region as part of the movement of the note, and wherein the note is attached to the second region if the second region is a valid attachment site.

26. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of executing the first program comprises the step of executing a first operating system, and the step of executing the second program comprises the step of executing a second operating system.

27. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of executing the first program comprises the step of executing a first application program, and the step of executing the second program comprises the step of executing a second application program.

28. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of executing the first program comprises the step of executing an application program, and the step of executing the second program comprises the step of executing an operating system.

29. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of executing the first program comprises the step of executing an operating system, and the step of executing the second program comprises the step of executing an application program.

30. The method of claim 25 wherein the note resulted from execution of a note program, wherein the step of executing a first program comprises the step of executing a first program which is compliant with the note program, wherein the step of executing a second program comprises the step of executing a second program which is compliant with the note program, and wherein the note is attached to the second region because the second region is compliant with the note program.

31. The method of claim 25 wherein the note resulted from execution of a note program, wherein the step of executing a first program comprises the step of executing a first program which is compliant with the note program, wherein the step of executing a second program comprises the step of executing a second program which is noncompliant with the note program, and wherein the note is not attached to the second region because the second region is noncompliant with the note program.

32. The method of claim 31 further comprising the step of providing immediate feedback that the second program will not accept the note.

33. The method of claim 25 wherein the first region is active, wherein the second region is inactive, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from the active region to the inactive region without making the inactive region active.

34. The method of claim 33 wherein the step of moving the note from the active region to the inactive region comprises the step of moving the note to the inactive region so that the note is inactive after the note is moved to the inactive region, and so that the note remains inactive until the note is made active.

35. The method of claim 25 wherein the first region is inactive, wherein the second region is inactive, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from the first inactive region to the second inactive region without making the second inactive region active.

36. The method of claim 35 wherein the step of moving the note from the first inactive region to the second inactive region comprises the step of moving the note to the second inactive region so that the note remains inactive after the note is moved to the second inactive region and until the note is made active, and so that the second inactive region remains inactive after the note is attached to the second inactive region and until the second inactive region is made active.

37. The method of claim 25 wherein the first region is inactive, wherein the second region is active, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from the inactive region to the active region without making the inactive region active.

38. The method of claim 37 wherein the step of moving the note from the inactive region to the active region comprises the step of moving the note to the active region so that the note becomes active after the note is moved to the active region, and so that the active region remains active after the note is attached to the active region and until the active region is made inactive.

39. The method of claim 25 wherein the note is a first note, wherein the first or second region has a second note, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the first note so that the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.

40. The method of claim 25 wherein one of the first and second regions has a boundary, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note across the boundary.

41. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of moving the note across the boundary comprises the step of attaching the note to an object in the second region so that the note is attached to the object in the second region as part of the movement of the note and so that the note moves with the object.

42. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of moving the note across the boundary comprises the step of dragging the note from the first region directly to the second region.

43. The method of claim 40 wherein the step of executing a first program in the data processing system comprises the step of executing a first program so that a first note is attached to the first region, wherein the step of executing a second program in the data processing system comprises the step of executing a second program so that the second note is attached to the second region, and further comprising the step of adding at least some information concerning the first and second notes to an index.

44. The method of claim 43 wherein the step of moving the note across the boundary comprises the step of dragging the note from the first region directly to the second region.

45. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of executing a first program in the data processing system comprises the step of executing a first program so that a first note is attached to the first region, wherein the step of executing a second program in the data processing system comprises the step of executing a second program so that the second note is attached to the second region, and further comprising the step of adding at least some information concerning the first and second notes to an index.

46. The method of claim 45 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of dragging the first note from the first region directly to the second region.

47. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of dragging the note from the first region directly to the second region.

48. The method of claim 47 wherein the step of dragging the note comprises the step of attaching a note to an object in the second region so that the note is attached to the object in the second region as part of the movement of the note and so that the note moves with the object.

49. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of attaching a note to an object in the second region so that the note is attached to the object in the second region as part of the movement of the note and so that the note moves with the object.

50. The method of claim 25 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of displaying the note so that the note overlaps a boundary of the second region.

51. A method comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of:

executing program code in the data processing system so as to display a window having a boundary and so as to display a note in connection with the window, wherein the window has a client area, and wherein the client area contains content;

moving the note across the boundary of the window; and

,

attaching the note to the content of the client area in a single step without the note becoming assimilated into the content.

52. A method comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of:

executing program code in the data processing system so that first and second regions are displayed, and so that the first region has a note;

dragging the note from the first region directly to the second region; and

,

if the second region is a valid attachment site, attaching the note to a non-title portion of the second region without activation of a link button and without assimilation of the note into the region.

53. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing one or more application programs so that the first and second regions are displayed.

54. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing one or more operating systems so that the first and second regions are displayed.

55. The method of claim 52 wherein the note resulted from execution of a note program, wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing program code so that the first and second regions are compliant with the note program, and wherein the note is attached to the second region because the second region is compliant with the note program.

56. The method of claim 52 wherein the note resulted from execution of a note program, wherein the step of executing program code comprises the step of executing program code so that the first region is compliant with the note program and so that the second region is noncompliant with the note program, and wherein note is not attached to the second region because the second region is noncompliant with the note program.

57. The method of claim 56 further comprising the step of providing immediate feedback that the second region will not accept the note.

58. The method of claim 52 wherein the first region is active, wherein the second region is inactive, and wherein the step of dragging the note comprises the step of dragging the note from the active region to the inactive region without making the inactive region active.

59. The method of claim 58 wherein the step of dragging the note from the active region to the inactive region comprises the step of dragging the note to the inactive region so that the note is inactive after the note is dragged to the inactive region, and so that the note remains inactive until the note is made active.

60. The method of claim 52 wherein the first region is inactive, wherein the second region is inactive, and wherein the step of dragging the note comprises the step of dragging the note from the first inactive region to the second inactive region without making the second inactive region active.

61. The method of claim 60 wherein the step of dragging the note from the first inactive region to the second inactive region comprises the step of dragging the note to the second inactive region so that the note remains inactive after the note is dragged to the second inactive region and until the note is made active, and so that the second inactive region remains inactive after the note is attached to the second inactive region and until the second inactive region is made active.

62. The method of claim 52 wherein the first region is inactive, wherein second region is active, and wherein the step of dragging the note comprises the step of dragging the note from the inactive region to the active region without making the inactive region active.

63. The method of claim 62 wherein the step of dragging the note from the inactive region to the active region comprises the step of dragging the note to the active region so that the note becomes active after the note is dragged to the active region, and so that the active region remains active after the note is attached to the active region and until the active region is made inactive.

64. The method of claim 52 wherein the note is a first note, wherein the first or second region has a second note, and wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the first note so that the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.

65. The method of claim 52 wherein one of the first and second regions has a boundary, and wherein the step of dragging the note comprises the step of dragging the note across the boundary.

66. The method of claim 65 wherein the step of dragging the note across the boundary comprises the step of attaching the note to an object in the second region so that the note is attached to the object in the second region without activation of a link button and so that the note moves with the object.

67. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of dragging the note comprises the step of attaching the note to an object in the second region so that the note moves with the object.

68. The method of claim 52 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of displaying the note so that the note overlaps a boundary of the second region.

69. A method comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of:

executing program code in the data processing system so that first and second notes are displayed, wherein the second note is defined by a boundary and is attached to a window; and

,

moving the first note so that the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note and within an area defined by the boundary of the second note to be viewed even though the second note and the window remain stationary.

70. A method comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of:

executing a first program in the data processing system, wherein the first program is an operating system, and wherein a first region is displayed in response to execution of the first program, and wherein the first region is a desktop;

executing a second program in the data processing system, wherein a second region is displayed in response to execution of the second program, wherein the second region is a window, wherein the window has a client area, wherein the client area contains content, and wherein the second program is an application program; and

,

executing a third program in the data processing system to attach a first note to the desktop and to attach a second note to the content of the client area of the window, wherein the first and second notes are attached in a single step, wherein the third program is compliant with the first and second programs, and wherein the third program is not a part of the first and second programs.

71. The method of claim 70 wherein one of the first and second regions is active, wherein the other of the first and second regions is inactive, and wherein the method further comprises the step of moving one of the first and second notes from the active region to the inactive region without making the inactive region active.

72. The method of claim 71 wherein the step of moving one of the first and second notes from the active region to the inactive region comprises the step of moving the moved note to the inactive region so that the moved note is inactive after the moved note is moved to the inactive region and so that the moved note remains inactive until the moved note is made active.

73. The method of claim 70 wherein the first region is inactive, wherein the second region is inactive, and wherein the method further comprises the step of moving one of the first and second notes from one of the first and second inactive regions to the other of the first and second inactive regions without making the other of the first and second inactive regions active.

74. The method of claim 73 wherein the step of moving one of the first and second notes from one of the first and second inactive regions to the other of the first and second inactive regions comprises the step of moving the one of the first and second notes to the other of the first and second inactive regions so that the one of the first and second notes remains inactive after the one of the first and second notes is moved to the other of the first and second inactive regions and until the one of the first and second notes is made active, and so that the other of the first and second inactive regions remains inactive after the one of the first and second notes is attached to the other of the first and second inactive regions and until the other of the first and second inactive regions is made active.

75. The method of claim 70 wherein one of the first and second regions is inactive, wherein the other of the first and second regions is active, and wherein the method further comprises the step of moving one of the first and second notes from the inactive region to the active region without making the inactive region active.

76. The method of claim 75 wherein the step of moving the one of the first and second notes from the inactive region to the active region comprises the step of moving the one of the first and second notes to the active region so that the one of the first and second notes becomes active after the one of the first and second notes is moved to the active region, and so that the active region remains active after the one of the first and second notes is attached to the active region and until the active region is made inactive.

77. An apparatus comprising:

region displaying means for displaying first and second regions;

note displaying means for displaying a note at the first region; and

,

note moving means for moving the note from the first region directly to the second region so that the note is moved from the first region to the second region without storing the note in an intermediate storage location and so that the note is automatically attached to non-title content of the second region without assimilation of the note into the second region.

78. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the region displaying means comprises a first operating system for displaying the first region and a second operating system for displaying the second region.

79. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the region displaying means comprises a first application program for displaying the first region and a second application program for displaying the second region.

80. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the region displaying means comprises an application program for displaying the first region and an operating system for displaying the second region.

81. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the region displaying means comprises an operating system for displaying the first region and an application for displaying the second region.

82. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the note displaying means comprises a note program, wherein the region displaying means comprises a first program for displaying the first region, wherein the first program is compliant with the note program, wherein the region displaying means comprises a second program for displaying the second region, wherein the second program is compliant with the note program, and wherein the second region accepts attachment of the note because the second program is compliant with the note program.

83. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the note displaying means comprises a note program, wherein the region displaying means comprises a first program for displaying the first region, wherein the first program is compliant with the note program, wherein the region displaying means comprises a second program for displaying the second region, wherein the second program is not compliant with the note program, and wherein the second region does not accept attachment of the note because the second program is noncompliant with the note program.

84. The apparatus of claim 83 further comprising means for providing immediate feedback that the second program will not accept the note.

85. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the first region is active, wherein the second region is inactive, and wherein the note moving means comprises means for moving the note from the active region to the inactive region without making the inactive region active.

86. The apparatus of claim 85 wherein the means for moving the note from the active region to the inactive region comprises means for moving the note to the inactive region so that the note is inactive after the note is moved to the inactive region, and so that the note remains inactive until the note is made active.

87. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the first region inactive, wherein the second region inactive, and wherein the note moving means comprises means for moving the note from the first inactive region to the second inactive region without making the second inactive region active.

88. The apparatus of claim 87 wherein the means for moving the note from the first inactive region to the second inactive region comprises means for moving the note to the second inactive region so that the note remains inactive after the note is moved to the second inactive region and until the note is made active, and so that the second inactive region remains inactive after the note is attached to the second inactive region and until the second inactive region is made active.

89. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the first region is inactive, wherein the second region is active, and wherein the note moving means comprises means for moving the note from the inactive region to the active region without making the inactive region active.

90. The apparatus of claim 89 wherein the means for moving the note from the inactive region to the active region comprises means for moving the note to the active region so that the note becomes active after the note is moved to the active region, and so that the active region remains active after the note is attached to the active region and until the active region is made inactive.

91. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the note is a first note, wherein the first or second region has a second note, and wherein the note moving means comprises means for moving the first note so that the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.

92. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein one of the first and second regions has a boundary, and wherein the note moving means comprises means for moving the note across the boundary.

93. The apparatus of claim 92 wherein the means for moving the note across the boundary comprises means for attaching the note to an object in the second region so that the note is automatically attached to the object in the second region and so that the note moves with the object.

94. The apparatus of claim 92 wherein the means for moving the note across the boundary comprises means for dragging the note from the first region directly to the second region.

95. The apparatus of claim 92 wherein the note displaying means comprises means for displaying first and second notes, and wherein the note moving means comprises means for attaching the first note to the first region, means for attaching the second note to the second region, and means for adding at least some information concerning the first and second notes to an index.

96. The apparatus of claim 95 wherein the means for moving the note across the boundary comprises means for dragging a note from the first region directly to the second region.

97. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the note displaying means comprises means for displaying first and second notes, and wherein the note moving means comprises means for attaching the first note to the first region, means for attaching the second note to the second region, and means for adding at least some information concerning the first and second notes to an index.

98. The apparatus of claim 97 wherein the note moving means comprises means for dragging the first note from the first region directly to the second region.

99. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the note moving means comprises means for dragging the note from the first region directly to the second region.

100. The apparatus of claim 99 wherein the means for dragging the note comprises means for attaching a note to an object in the second region so that the note is automatically attached to the object in the second region and so that the note moves with the object.

101. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the note moving means comprises means for attaching a note to an object in the second region so that the note is automatically attached to the object in the second region and so that the note moves with the object.

102. The apparatus of claim 77 wherein the note moving means comprises means for displaying the note so that the note overlaps a boundary of the second region.

103. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable storage medium; and

,

program code stored on the computer readable storage medium, wherein the program code is arranged so that, when the program code is executed by a computer, (i) a note is displayed, (ii) the note is moved across a boundary of a window, and (iii) the note is attached to content of a client area of the window in a single step.

104. The article of manufacture of claim 103 wherein the program code is arranged to attach the note to the window because the window is compliant with the program code.

105. The article of manufacture of claim 103 wherein the program code is arranged to not attach the note to the window if the window is noncompliant with the program code.

106. The article of manufacture of claim 105 wherein the program code, when executed by the computer, is arranged to provide immediate feedback if the second window does not accept the note.

107. The article of manufacture of claim 103 wherein the program code is arranged so that, when executed, the program code causes the note to be moved from an active window to an inactive window without making the inactive window active.

108. The article of manufacture of claim 107 wherein the program code is arranged so that execution of the program code causes the note, if inactive before the move, to remain inactive until the note is made active.

109. The article of manufacture of claim 103 wherein the program code is arranged so that, when executed, the program code causes the note to be moved from a first inactive window to a second inactive window without making the second inactive window active.

110. The article of manufacture of claim 109 wherein the program code is arranged so that execution of the program code causes the note, if inactive before the move, to remain inactive after the note is moved to the second inactive window and until the note is made active, and so that the second inactive window remains inactive after the note is attached to the second inactive window and until the second inactive window is made active.

111. The article of manufacture of claim 103 wherein the program code, when executed, causes the note to be moved from an inactive window to an active window without making the inactive window active.

112. The article of manufacture of claim 111 wherein the program code is arranged so that execution of the program code causes the note, if inactive before the move, to become active after the note is moved to the active window, and so that the active window remains active after the note is attached to the active window and until the active window is made inactive.

113. The article of manufacture of claim 103 wherein the note is a first note, wherein the program code is arranged so that, when the program code is executed by a computer, a second note is displayed in connection with the window and so that, when the first note is moved, the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.

114. The article of manufacture of claim 103 wherein the program code is arranged so that the note is attached to an object in the window and so that the note moves with the object.

115. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable storage medium; and

,

program code stored on the computer readable storage medium, wherein the program code is arranged so that, when the program code is executed by a computer, a note is moved across a boundary of a window, and so that the note is attached to content of a client area of the window upon releasing the note from it movement.

116. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code is arranged so that, when the program code is executed by a computer, a note is moved across a desktop, and so that the note is attached to content of the desktop without activation of a link button.

117. The computer readable storage medium of claim 116 wherein the program code is arranged to attach the note to the region because the region is compliant with the program code.

118. The computer readable storage medium of claim 116 wherein the program code is arranged to not attach the note to the region if the region is noncompliant with the program code.

119. The computer readable storage medium of claim 118 wherein the program code, when executed by the computer, is arranged to provide immediate feedback if the region does not accept the note.

120. The computer readable storage medium of claim 116 wherein the program code is arranged so that, when executed, the program code causes the note to be moved from an active region to an inactive region without making the inactive region active.

121. The computer readable storage medium of claim 120 wherein the program code is arranged so that execution of the program code causes the note, if inactive before the move, to remain inactive until the note is made active.

122. The computer readable storage medium of claim 116 wherein the program code is arranged so that, when executed, the program code causes the note to be moved from a first inactive region to a second inactive region without making the second inactive region active.

123. The computer readable storage medium of claim 121 wherein the program code is arranged so that execution of the program code causes the note, if inactive before the move, to remain inactive after the note is moved to the second inactive region and until the note is made active, and so that the second inactive region remains inactive after the note is attached to the second inactive region and until the second inactive region is made active.

124. The computer readable storage medium of claim 116 wherein the program code is arranged so that, when executed, the program code causes the note to be moved from an inactive region to an active region without making the inactive region active.

125. The computer readable storage medium of claim 124 wherein the program code is arranged so that execution of the program code causes the note, if inactive before the move, to become active after the note is moved to the active region, and so that the active region remains active after the note is attached to the active region and until the active region is made inactive.

126. The computer readable storage medium of claim 116 wherein the note is a first note, wherein the program code is arranged so that, when the program code is executed by a computer, a second note is displayed in connection with the region and so that, when the first note is moved, the second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.

127. The computer readable storage medium of claim 116 wherein the program code is arranged so that the note is attached to an object in the window and so that the note moves with the object.

128. A method comprising the steps, performed by a data processing system, of:

displaying a note;

moving the note to a window without storing the note in an intermediate storage location, wherein the window has a title bar and a ancient area; and

,

attaching the note to content of the client area of the window without a manual operation which is separate from movement of the note.

129. The method of claim 128 further comprising the step of displaying a region which is compliant with the note, and wherein the note is attached to the region because the region is compliant with the note.

130. The method of claim 128 further comprising the step of displaying a region which is noncompliant with the note, and wherein the region does not accept attachment of the note because the region is noncompliant with the note.

131. The method of claim 130 further comprising the step of providing immediate feedback that the region does not accept the note.

132. The method of claim 128 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from an active region to an inactive region without making the inactive region active.

133. The method of claim 132 wherein the step of moving the note from the active region to the inactive region comprises the step of moving the note to the inactive region so that the note is inactive after the note is moved to the inactive region, and so that the note remains inactive until the note is made active.

134. The method of claim 128 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from a first inactive region to a second inactive region without making the second inactive region active.

135. The method of claim 134 wherein the step of moving the note from the first inactive region to the second inactive region comprises the step of moving the note to the second inactive region so that the note remains inactive after the note is moved to the second inactive region and until the note is made active, and so that the second inactive region remains inactive after the note is attached to the second inactive region and until the second inactive region is made active.

136. The method of claim 128 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving the note from an inactive region to an active region without making the inactive region active.

137. The method of claim 136 wherein the step of moving the note from the inactive region to the active region comprises the step of moving the note to the active region so that the note becomes active after the note is moved to the active region, and so that the active region remains active after the note is attached to the active region and until the active region is made inactive.

138. The method of claim 128 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of moving a first note so that a second note is changed to permit contents under the second note to be viewed.

139. The method of claim 128 wherein the step of moving the note comprises the step of attaching the note to an object so that the note moves with the object.

140. An article of manufacture comprising:

a computer readable storage medium; and

,

program code stored on the computer readable storage medium, wherein the program code is arranged so that, when the program code is executed by a computer, a note is moved across the boundary of a window having a frame and a client area, and so that the note is attached to content of the client area of the window as part of the movement of the note.

141. A computer readable storage medium having program code stored thereon, wherein the program code is arranged so that, when the program code is executed by a computer, a note is moved across a desktop, and so that the note is automatically attached to content of the desktop.