Shared Groups Rostering System

Abstract

Systems and techniques for sharing information among members of a group. Information about all current members of a group is stored. Instructions are received from at least one current member to invite at least one prospective member to join the group and the invitation to join the group is sent to the prospective member. In the event that an affirmative response is received, the prospective member is added to the current members of the group and automatically updated services are provided to current members of the group.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A method comprising:
 maintaining, for an instant messaging identity, a passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants that has a membership that includes at least one instant messaging participant not explicitly selected for inclusion in the passively dynamic group by the instant messaging identity;   causing a display, to the instant messaging identity, of an instant messaging participant list that is configured to reflect online presence information for other instant messaging identities included in the instant messaging participant list and that is configured to enable the instant messaging identity to initiate instant messaging sessions with the other instant messaging identities included in the instant messaging participant list by selecting the other instant messaging identities from the instant messaging participant list, the displayed instant messaging participant list including a representation of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants that reflects the membership of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants;   determining that a change, which was not inspired by the instant messaging identity, in the membership of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants has occurred; and   automatically triggering, without involvement from the instant messaging identity, an updating of the displayed instant messaging participant list to reflect the change in the membership of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants.   
     
     
         2 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 determining that a change in the membership of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants has occurred includes determining that a new member has been added to the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants; and 
 automatically triggering the updating of the displayed instant messaging participant list to reflect the change in membership of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants includes automatically adding a representation of the new member to the displayed representation of the dynamic group of instant messaging participants on the displayed instant messaging participant list for the instant messaging identity. 
 
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 1  wherein:
 determining that a change in membership of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants has occurred includes determining that an old member has been removed from the dynamic group of instant messaging participants; and 
 automatically triggering the updating of the displayed instant messaging participant list to reflect the change in membership of the passively dynamic group of instant messaging participants includes automatically deleting a displayed representation of the old member from the representation of the dynamic group of instant messaging participants on the displayed instant messaging participant list.