Method and apparatus for creating a dynamic history of presentation materials in a multimedia collaboration session

1. A computer-based system, comprising:

a computerized client device configured to be one of a plurality of computerized client devices for use by respective participants in a collaboration session over a network, each client device having a tangible computing processor operatively coupled to a tangible computer-readable storage device and a display device that shows, to a user of the client device, a current portion of a current presentation in a presentation display section of a user interface, the user interface also having a live history section containing hyperlinks to already shown presentation files, wherein the hyperlinks are automatically assembled when the corresponding presentation files are shown and automatically arranged in the order they were shown, wherein any one of the hyperlinks when selected replaces the presentation display section with a private section in which the selected file is shown, and a synch to current presentation button that replaces the private section with the presentation display section showing a current portion of a presentation in progress when the synch button is selected;

wherein the interface includes visual elements to interact with other participants' respective computerized devices to:

select and view any of a plurality of presentations being simultaneously shown by respective presenters;

select and view any of a plurality of previously shown presentation files at any time during the collaboration session; and

select and view any of a plurality of files designated by their respective participants as available for viewing during the collaboration session by other participants as the second presentation file; and

assume control of the collaboration session from the current presenter with regard to a presentation currently being viewed;

wherein the presentation files can include any of slides, video files, audio files, electronic documents, drawings, instant messages, and applications running on respective client devices.

2. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information displayed in the live history section comprises a series of iconic representations, wherein each representation is a visual image of a presentation element.

3. The system of claim 2 , wherein the live history section scrolls through the information displayed.

4. The system of claim 3 , wherein the movement of the information displayed in the live history section can be independently adjusted by the participant.

5. The system of claim 2 , wherein a particular subset of the information displayed in the live history section can be independently selected by the participant.

6. The system of claim 2 , wherein at least one of the iconic representations is associated with a link corresponding to material stored on the client device.

7. The system of claim 6 , wherein the material stored on the client device is distributed and stored on the client device at the time the collaborative session is initiated.

8. The system of claim 1 , wherein the background of the live history section is a particular color selected to identify the live history section.

9. The system of claim 1 , wherein the information displayed in the live history section comprises a plurality of representative elements.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the representative elements can represent any type of material used in a collaborative communication session.

11. The system of claim 1 , wherein the live history section can be resized.

12. The system of claim 11 , wherein the information displayed in the live history section comprises iconic representations when the live history section is not full size, and wherein the information displayed in the live history section comprises full size representations when the live history section is full size.

13. A computer-based system, comprising:

a computerized client device configured to be one of a plurality of computerized client devices for use by respective participants in a collaboration session over a network, each client device having a tangible computing processor operatively coupled to a tangible computer-readable storage device and a display device that shows, to a user of the client device, a current portion of a current presentation in a presentation display section of a user interface, the user interface also having a live history section containing hyperlinks to already shown presentation files, wherein the hyperlinks are automatically assembled when the corresponding presentation files are shown and automatically arranged in the order they were shown, wherein any one of the hyperlinks when selected replaces the presentation display section with a private section in which the selected file is shown, and a synch to current presentation button that replaces the private section with the presentation display section showing a current portion of a presentation in progress when the synch button is selected;

wherein the interface includes visual elements to interact with other participants' respective computerized devices to:

select and view any of a plurality of presentations being simultaneously shown by respective presenters; and

select and view any of a plurality of previously shown presentation files at any time during the collaboration session;

wherein the system enables any of the participants to assume control of the session at any time;

wherein the presentation files can include any of slides, video files, audio files, electronic documents, drawings, instant messages, and applications running on respective client devices; and

wherein the system enables all participants in the collaboration session to have equal control over all controllable aspects of the session.

14. The system of claim 13 , wherein the information in the private workspace can be selected for publication to other participants in the collaborative communication session.

15. The system of claim 14 , wherein the user interface further comprises a public workspace, and wherein information selected for publication appears in the public workspace.

16. The system of claim 13 , wherein the private workspace can be used to display a live history.

17. The system of claim 16 , wherein the live history section includes information corresponding to materials presented in the collaboration session.

18. The system of claim 17 , wherein the information displayed in the live history section comprises a series of iconic representations, wherein each iconic representation is a visual image of a presentation element.

19. The system of claim 18 , wherein the live history section scrolls through the information displayed.

20. The system of claim 19 , wherein the movement of the information displayed in the live history section can be independently adjusted by the participant.

21. The system of claim 18 , wherein a particular subset of the information displayed in the live history section can be independently selected by the participant.

22. The system of claim 18 , wherein at least one of the iconic representations is associated with a link corresponding to material stored on the client device.

23. The system of claim 22 , wherein the material stored on the client device is distributed and stored on the client device at the time the collaborative session is initiated.

24. The system of claim 17 , wherein the background of the private workspace comprises a particular color selected to identify the private workspace.

25. The system of claim 17 , wherein the information displayed in the private workspace comprises a plurality of representative elements.

26. The system of claim 25 , wherein the representative elements can represent any type of material used in a collaborative communication session.

27. The system of claim 17 , wherein the private workspace can be resized.

28. The system of claim 27 , wherein the information displayed in the private workspace comprises iconic representations when the private workspace is not full size, and wherein the information displayed in the private workspace comprises full size representations when the private workspace is full size.