User-driven media system in a computer network
A global computer network system includes a method and apparatus for writer compensation, a method and apparatus for reader rating and a method and apparatus for enabling readers to tip an author. The system further provides content organization according to user relationship and website community. Another feature effects content browsing by relationship of users in the system. The system provides determination of content scarcity and advertisement (ad inventory) scarcity. The system also includes user-specified comments or reader indications on system contents such as authored works and bookmarks.
1. A computer-implemented method of recording electronic traffic metrics of digital works on a global computer network, the computer-implemented method comprising:
accepting at least one created digital work from each of a plurality of author-users;
generating, for each created digital work, a respective created digital work record storing a view count for the associated created digital work, and an indication of the corresponding author-user of the associated created digital work;
generating an author-user table for each author-user, each author-user table being linked to each created digital work record indicating the respective author-user and storing a popularity rating of the respective author-user based on the view count stored in each linked created digital work record;
generating a tagging table linked to the created digital work records that stores reader-user suggested tags assigned to created digital works, the tagging table including an entry for each tag indicating a popularity rating of the tag based on the view count for each created digital work assigned the tag;
upon a user navigating to one of the created digital works, recording electronic traffic of the user to the one created digital work by, without further human intervention, updating:
the view count for the one created digital work stored in the respective created digital work record,
the popularity rating of the author-user of the one created digital work based on the view count stored in each created digital work record indicating the author-user of the one created digital work including the updated view count for the one created digital work,
the popularity rating of each tag assigned to the one created digital work selected by the user based on the updated view count for the one created digital work; and
utilizing the created digital work records, the author-user tables and the tagging table to determine electronic traffic for each author-user and for each tag.
2. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the created digital works are associated with advertisements.
3. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the created digital work record further comprises an average rating in at least one area as determined from a plurality of rater-users, the area for rating being chosen from any combination of:
a writing quality rating,
a presentation rating,
a political leaning rating,
a suitability rating for a given audience or age group,
a compliance rating with one or more standards,
a factual accuracy rating,
a uniqueness rating, and
a quotability rating.
4. The computer-implemented method of claim 3 , further comprising:
providing a reward to one of the plurality of author-users based on at least the average rating in a created digital work record indicating the one author-user.
5. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a reward to at least one of the plurality of author-users based on at least the popularity rating of the at least one author-user.
6. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein providing the reward comprises providing financial compensation.
7. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein providing the reward to the at least one author-user is further based on advertising revenue generated by their respective created digital works.
8. The computer-implemented method of claim 5 , wherein the provided reward is limited by a reward budget.
9. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
providing a reward to one of the plurality of author-users based on the popularity rating of the one author-user, and providing a different reward if the popularity rating of the one author-user reaches a predefined number.
10. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , wherein the user navigates to the one created digital work by a search result list displaying an indication of the one created digital work, and upon the user selecting said indication from the search result list, recording electronic traffic of the user to the one created digital work.
11. The computer-implemented method of claim 1 , further comprising:
generating, for each of a plurality of viewer-users, a viewer-user table based on created digital works viewed by each respective viewer-user.
12. A computer system for recording electronic traffic metrics of digital works, the system comprising:
a computer member configured to accept at least one created digital work from each of a plurality of author-users;
a digital work record module coupled to the computer member and configured to generate, for each created digital work, a respective created digital work record storing a view count for the associated created digital work, and an indication of the corresponding author-user of the associated created digital work;
a user table module coupled to the computer member and configured to:
generate an author-user table for each of the plurality of author-users, each author-user table being linked to each created digital work record indicating the respective author-user and storing a popularity rating of the author-user based on the view count for each linked created digital work record;
a tagging table module coupled to the computer member and configured to:
generate a tagging table linked to the created digital work records that stores tags assigned to created digital works, the tagging table including an entry for each tag indicating a popularity rating of the tag based on the view count for each created digital work assigned the tag;
an electronic traffic module coupled to the computer member and configured to:
upon a user navigating to one of the created digital works, record electronic traffic of the user to the one created digital work by, without further human intervention, updating:
the view count for the one created digital work in the respective created digital work record,
the popularity rating of the author-user of the one created digital work based on the view count stored in each created digital work record indicating the author-user of the one created digital work including the updated view count for the one created digital work,
the popularity rating of each tag assigned to the one created digital work based on the updated view count for the one created digital work; and
utilize the created digital work records, the author-user tables and the tagging table to determine electronic traffic for each author-user and for each tag.
13. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the created digital works are associated with advertisements.
14. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the created digital work record further comprises an average rating in at least one area as determined from a plurality of rater-users, the area for rating being chosen from any combination of:
a writing quality rating,
a presentation rating,
a political leaning rating,
a suitability rating for a given audience or age group,
a compliance rating with one or more standards,
a factual accuracy rating,
a uniqueness rating, and
a quotability rating.
15. The computer system of claim 14 , further comprising:
a compensation module coupled to the computer member and configured to provide a reward to one of the plurality of author-users based on at least the average rating in a created digital work record indicating the one author-user.
16. The computer system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a compensation module coupled to the computer member and configured to provide a reward to at least one of the plurality of author-users based on at least the popularity rating of the at least one author-user.
17. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the compensation module is configured to provide financial compensation.
18. The computer system of claim 16 wherein the compensation module is configured to provide rewards to the plurality of author-users based further on advertising revenue generated by their respective created digital works.
19. The computer system of claim 16 , wherein the provided reward is limited by a reward budget.
20. The computer system of claim 12 , further comprising:
a compensation module coupled to the computer member and configured to:
provide a reward to one of the plurality of author-users based on the popularity rating of the one author-user, and provide a different reward if the popularity rating of the one author-user reaches a predefined number.
21. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the user navigates to the one created digital work by a search result list displaying an indication of the one created digital work, and upon the user selecting said indication from the search result list, recording electronic traffic of the user to the one created digital work.
22. The computer system of claim 12 , wherein the user table module is further configured to:
generate, for each of a plurality of viewer-users, a viewer-user table based on created digital works viewed by each respective viewer-user.