USER PROFILE SNAPSHOTS

1 . In a computer system comprising a user interface configured to display content, a method for personalizing content for a particular user, the method comprising:

identifying a first snapshot of a user profile at a first point in time;

identifying a second snapshot of a user profile at a second point in time occurring after the first point in time;

maintaining a history of the first snapshot and the second snapshot; and

allowing a user to access the history of the first snapshot and the second snapshot.

2 . The method recited in claim 1 , further comprising:

comparing the first snapshot to the second snapshot to determine differences in user profiles from the first point in time to the second point in time; and

displaying to a user a comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot.

3 . The method recited in claim 2 , wherein the first snapshot and the second snapshot are each associated with an image cloud, further comprising:

displaying the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot using a sliding bar with which a user can interact, wherein as the user slides the bar from a first position representing the first snapshot to a second position representing the second snapshot, images in the first image cloud are gradually made larger or smaller depending on an increase or decrease in interest level of those images as determined by the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot.

4 . The method recited in claim 2 , wherein the first snapshot and the second snapshot are each associated with an image cloud, further comprising:

displaying the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot using a sliding bar with which a user can interact, wherein as the user slides the bar from a first position representing the first snapshot to a second position representing the second snapshot, images in the first image cloud are completely removed from the second image cloud as a user's interest in the images in the first image cloud has completely decreased as determined by the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot.

5 . The method recited in claim 2 , wherein the first snapshot and the second snapshot are each associated with an image cloud, wherein the displayed comparison of the first and second snapshot is an image cloud that only displays those images that are different from the first snapshot and the second snapshot image clouds.

6 . The method recited in claim 2 , wherein the first snapshot and the second snapshot are each associated with an image cloud, wherein the displayed comparison of the first and second snapshots include information about a user's purchasing history and wherein the displayed comparison includes links that enable the purchase of items included in the purchasing history.

7 . The method recited in claim 3 , wherein the sliding bar is configured to slide along a time line that specifies the first point in time and that second point in time.

8 . A computer program product comprising one or more physical computer-readable media having thereon computer-executable instructions that are structured such that, when executed by one or more processors of a computing system including a user interface configured to display content items, the computing system is caused to perform a method a method for personalizing content for a particular user, the method comprising:

identifying a first snapshot of a user profile at a first point in time;

identifying a second snapshot of a user profile at a second point in time occurring after the first point in time;

maintaining a history of the first snapshot and the second snapshot; and

allowing a user to access the history of the first snapshot and the second snapshot.

9 . The computer program product as recited in claim 8 , wherein the physical computer-readable media has thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to perform the following:

comparing the first snapshot to the second snapshot to determine differences in user profiles from the first point in time to the second point in time; and

displaying to a user a comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot.

10 . The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the physical computer-readable media has thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to perform the following:

displaying the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot using a sliding bar with which a user can interact, wherein as the user slides the bar from a first position representing the first snapshot to a second position representing the second snapshot, images in the first image cloud are gradually made larger or smaller depending on an increase or decrease in interest level of those images as determined by the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot.

11 . The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the physical computer-readable media has thereon computer-executable instructions that, when executed by the one or more processors, further cause the computing system to perform the following:

displaying the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot using a sliding bar with which a user can interact, wherein as the user slides the bar from a first position representing the first snapshot to a second position representing the second snapshot, images in the first image cloud are completely removed from the second image cloud as a user's interest in the images in the first image cloud has completely decreased as determined by the comparison of the first snapshot to the second snapshot.

12 . The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first snapshot and the second snapshot are each associated with an image cloud, wherein the displayed comparison of the first and second snapshot is an image cloud that only displays those images that are different from the first snapshot and the second snapshot image clouds.

13 . The computer program product as recited in claim 9 , wherein the first snapshot and the second snapshot are each associated with an image cloud, wherein the displayed comparison of the first and second snapshots include information about a user's purchasing history and wherein the displayed comparison includes links that enable the purchase of items included in the purchasing history.

14 . The computer program product as recited in claim 10 , wherein the sliding bar is configured to slide along a time line that specifies the first point in time and that second point in time.

15 . The computer program product as recited in claim 8 , wherein the physical computer-readable media includes one of RAM, ROM, EEPROM, CD-ROM, other optical disk storage, magnetic disk storage or other magnetic storage devices.

16 . In a computer system comprising a user interface configured to display content, a method for personalizing content for a particular user, the method comprising:

identifying a first snapshot of a user profile at a first point in time;

altering the user profile after the first point in time;

identifying a second point in time occurring after the alteration in the user profile;

identifying available content at the second point in time based on the first snapshot of the user profile at the first point in time; and

displaying to a user the available content.

17 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the displayed available content is displayed as an image cloud and represents a second snapshot of a user profile.

18 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first snapshot and the displayed available content are each associated with an image cloud, further comprising:

displaying images in the image cloud of the displayed available content that are related to images of the image cloud of the first snapshot.

19 . The method as recited in claim 16 , wherein the first and second points in time are indentified using a sliding bar with which a user can interact.