Enabling programming of recordings

1. A method for enabling a first user to send to a second user a promotional program icon configured to enable recording of a program promoted by the icon, the method comprising:

enabling a first user to perceive a web page that displays a promotional program icon that is user-selectable to record a program promoted by the promotional program icon;

receiving an indication that the first user has selected the promotional program icon displayed in the web page; and

in response to the indication, enabling the first user to perceive a set of options selectable by the first user that include an option selectable to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon and an option selectable to present the promotional program icon to a second user in a display perceivable by the second user, the promotional program icon presented to the second user in the display being selectable by the second user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

2. The method of claim 1 wherein the program promoted by the promotional program icon is a video program.

3. The method of claim 1 further comprising receiving a selection from the first user of the option to present the promotional program icon to the second user and, in response to the selection, electronically sending the promotional program icon to the second user.

4. The method of claim 3 wherein electronically sending the promotional program icon includes sending an e-mail including the promotional program icon to the second user such that the second user may select the promotional program icon in the e-mail to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

5. The method of claim 3 wherein electronically sending the promotional program icon includes sending an instant message including the promotional program icon to the second user such that the second user may select the promotional program icon in the instant message to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

6. The method of claim 1 wherein the promotional program icon comprises a banner.

7. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of options dynamically changes based on identification data including at least one of user identification data and recording device identification data.

8. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of options further includes at least one of recording the program promoted by the promotional program icon one time and recording the program promoted by the promotional program icon periodically.

9. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of options further includes adding schedule data of the program promoted by the promotional program icon to a calendar of the user.

10. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of options further includes setting an alert that will inform the user when the program is being shown or will be shown.

11. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of options further includes adding the program promoted by the selected promotional icon to a preferred list of programs to record.

12. The method of claim 1 wherein the set of options further includes setting a conflict priority rating used to determine whether the program will be recorded when a recording schedule of the program conflicts with a recording schedule of another program.

13. The method of claim 3 further comprising enabling the second user to perceive a set of options upon the second user selecting the promotional program icon in the display, the set of options being selectable by the second user and including an option selectable by the second user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon and an option selectable by the second user to present the promotional program icon to a third user in a second display perceivable by the third user, the promotional program icon presented to the third user being selectable by the third user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

14. A computer system including a computer readable storage medium storing a computer program for enabling a first user to send to a second user a promotional program icon configured to enable recording of a program promoted by the icon, the computer program including code segments structured and arranged to:

enable a first user to perceive a web page that displays a promotional program icon that is user-selectable to record a program promoted by the promotional program icon;

receive an indication that the first user has selected the promotional program icon displayed in the web page; and

in response to the indication, enable the first user to perceive a set of options selectable by the first user that include an option selectable to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon and an option selectable to present the promotional program icon to a second user in a display perceivable by the second user, the promotional program icon presented to the second user in the display being selectable by the second user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

15. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the program promoted by the promotional program icon is a video program.

16. The computer system of claim 14 further comprising a code segment for receiving a selection from the first user of the option to present the promotional program icon to the second user and a code segment for electronically sending the promotional program icon to the second user in response to the selection.

17. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the code segment for electronically sending the promotional program icon includes a code segment for sending an e-mail including the promotional program icon to the second user such that the second user may select the promotional program icon in the e-mail to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

18. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the code segment for electronically sending the promotional program icon includes a code segment for sending an instant message including the promotional program icon to the second user such that the second user may select the promotional program icon in the instant message to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

19. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the promotional program icon comprises a banner.

20. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the code segment for enabling the first user to perceive a set of options includes a code segment for enabling the first user to perceive and select among a set of options that dynamically changes based on identification data including at least one of user identification data and recording device identification data.

21. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the code segment for enabling the first user to perceive a set of options includes a code segment for enabling the user to perceive and select at least one of an option for recording the program promoted by the promotional program icon one time and an option for recording the program promoted by the promotional program icon periodically.

22. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the code segment for enabling the first user to perceive a set of options includes a code segment for enabling the user to perceive and select an option for adding schedule data of the program promoted by the promotional program icon to a calendar of the user.

23. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the code segment for enabling the first user to perceive a set of options includes a code segment for enabling the user to perceive and select among options for setting an alert that will inform the user when the program is being shown or will be shown.

24. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the code segment for enabling the first user to perceive a set of options includes a code segment for enabling the user to perceive and select an option for adding the program promoted by the selected promotional icon to a preferred list of programs to record.

25. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the-code segment for enabling the first user to perceive a set of options includes a code segment for enabling the user to perceive and select among options for setting a conflict priority rating used to determine whether or not the program will be recorded when a recording schedule of the program conflicts with a recording schedule of another program.

26. The computer system of claim 14 further comprising a code segment for enabling the second user to perceive a set of options upon the second user selecting the promotional program icon in the display, the set of options being selectable by the second user and including an option selectable by the second user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon and an option selectable by the second user to present the promotional program icon to a third user in a second display perceivable by the third user, the promotional program icon presented to the third user being selectable by the third user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

27. An apparatus for enabling a first user to send to a second user a promotional program icon configured to enable recording of a program promoted by the icon, the apparatus comprising:

means for enabling a first user to perceive a web page that displays a promotional program icon that is user-selectable to record a program promoted by the promotional program icon;

means for receiving an indication that the first user has selected the promotional program icon displayed in the web page; and

means for, in response to the indication, enabling the first user to perceive a set of options selectable by the first user that include an option selectable to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon and an option selectable to present the promotional program icon to a second user in a display perceivable by the second user, the promotional program icon presented to the second user in the display being selectable by the second user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon.

28. The method of claim 1 wherein the program promoted by the promotional program icon comprises a television broadcast program.

29. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the program promoted by the promotional program icon comprises a television broadcast program.

30. The method of claim 1 wherein enabling the first user to perceive the set of options comprises presenting to the first user the set of options.

31. The computer system of claim 14 wherein the code segment for enabling the first user to perceive the set of options comprises a code segment for presenting to the first user the set of options.

32. A method for enabling a first user to send to a second user a promotional program icon configured to enable recording of a program promoted by the icon, the method comprising:

enabling a first user to perceive a web page that includes a promotional program icon that is user-selectable to record a program promoted by the promotional program icon;

receiving a selection from the first user of the promotional program icon;

in response to the selection of the promotional program icon, presenting the first user with an option to communicate the promotional program icon to a second user in an e-mail or in an instant message such that the promotional program icon is perceivable by the second user when perceiving message text of the e-mail or the instant message in a display and is selectable by the second user to record the program promoted by the promotional program icon;

receiving a selection from the first user of the option to communicate the promotional program icon to the second user; and

in response to the selection of the option by the first user to communicate the promotional program icon to the second user, communicating the promotional program icon and message text inputted by the first user in an e-mail or in an instant message to the second user.