Method and apparatus for providing entitlement information for interactive support

1. A method in a data processing system for providing real-time user support, the method comprising:

monitoring for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system;

responsive to detecting the user input, generating a request for real-time user support, wherein the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided; and

sending the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the particular option is an icon on the desktop or a contextual keystroke.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

presenting an icon in a graphical user interface in the data processing system, wherein the icon is associated with the particular option.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entitlement information in the request includes support information used to identify a level of support for a user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein entitlement information includes at least one of a user identification, a password, a user's organization, licensing and authentication information, a support level, an expiration date, and type of support.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein the request also includes at least one of operations performed by a user and context information.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein the entitlement information is compared to support information by a real-time user support service to validate entitlement to real-time user support.

8. A data processing system comprising:

a bus system;

a communications unit connected to the bus system;

a memory connected to the bus system, wherein the memory includes a set of instructions; and

a processing unit connected to the bus system, wherein the processing unit executes the set of instructions to monitor for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system, generate a request for real-time user support in response to detecting the user input in which the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided, and send the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

9. A data processing system for providing real-time user support, the data processing system comprising:

monitoring means for monitoring for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system;

generating means, responsive to detecting the user input, for generating a request for real-time user support, wherein the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided; and

sending means for sending the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

10. The data processing system of claim 9 , wherein the particular option is an icon on the desktop or a contextual keystroke.

11. The data processing system of claim 9 , further comprising:

presenting means for presenting an icon in a graphical user interface in the data processing system, wherein the icon is associated with the particular option.

12. The data processing system of claim 9 , wherein the entitlement information in the request includes support information used to identify a level of support for a user.

13. The data processing system of claim 9 , wherein entitlement information includes at least one of a user identification, a password, a user's organization, licensing and authentication information, a support level, an expiration date, and type of support.

14. The data processing system of claim 9 , wherein the request also includes at least one of operations performed by a user and context information.

15. The data processing system of claim 9 , wherein the entitlement information is compared to support information by a real-time user support service to validate entitlement to real-time user support.

16. A computer program product in a computer readable medium for providing real-time user support, the computer program product comprising:

first instructions for monitoring for a user input selecting a particular option on a desktop in the data processing system;

second instructions, responsive to detecting the user input, for generating a request for real-time user support, wherein the request includes entitlement information used to determine a type of support to be provided; and

third instructions for sending the request to initiate a communications link for real-time user support.

17. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the particular option is an icon on the desktop or a contextual keystroke.

18. The computer program product of claim 16 , further comprising:

fourth instructions for presenting an icon in a graphical user interface in the data processing system, wherein the icon is associated with the particular option.

19. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the entitlement information in the request includes support information used to identify a level of support for a user.

20. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein entitlement information includes at least one of a user identification, a password, a user's organization, licensing and authentication information, a support level, an expiration date, and type of support.

21. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the request also includes at least one of operations performed by a user and context information.

22. The computer program product of claim 16 , wherein the entitlement information is compared to support information by a real-time user support service to validate entitlement to real-time user support.