Selectively deleting items that are not of interest to a user

Abstract

Various embodiments enable a user to use their browser to selectively delete items that are not of interest to them. In at least some embodiments, a user's interest in a particular item is implied by some action a user has taken with respect to the particular item. Responsive to this implied interest, various delete operations that can be performed relative to the items are performed so as to exclude items in which a user has some implied interest. In one or more embodiments, items that appear on a user-specified list, such as a favorites or a bookmarked list, are not deleted when a delete operation is performed relative to items to which a user browses. In at least some embodiments, a user interface is provided and enables a user to select classes of items that are to be retained when delete operations are performed.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A system comprising:
 one or more processors;   one or more computer-readable storage media embodying software instructions which, when executed, implement a method comprising:   detecting a plurality of items corresponding to content that is browsed to with a browser by the system;   identifying a first set of one or more of the plurality of items to be retained even when a delete operation is triggered for at least a second set of one or more of the plurality of items, the first set of the one or more of the plurality of items to be retained being based on an implied interest of the one or more items absent additional user actions with the first set of the one or more of the plurality of items;   detecting input for deleting the second set of one or more plurality of items; and   selectively deleting the second set of the one or more plurality of items without deleting the first set of the one or more plurality of times based at least in part on determining the implied interest in the one or more items.   
     
     
         2 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first set of the one or more plurality of items include cookies in a cookie store. 
     
     
         3 . The system of  claim 2 , wherein the second set of the one or more plurality of items include additional cookies in the cookie store. 
     
     
         4 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the first and second set of the one or more plurality of items include browsing history items. 
     
     
         5 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the implied interest is based on a browsing history in which the browser is used to browse to content associated with the first set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         6 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the browser is configured to periodically delete a class of items that includes the second set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         7 . The system of  claim 1 , wherein the browser is configured to automatically delete a class of items that includes the second set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         8 . A method implemented by a computing system having one or more processors and one or more computer-readable storage media embodying software instructions which, when executed by the one or more processors, implement the method, the method comprising:
 detecting a plurality of items corresponding to content that is browsed to with a browser by the system;   identifying a first set of one or more of the plurality of items to be retained even when a delete operation is triggered for at least a second set of one or more of the plurality of items, the first set of the one or more of the plurality of items to be retained being based on an implied interest of the one or more items absent additional user actions with the first set of the one or more of the plurality of items;   detecting input for deleting the second set of one or more plurality of items; and   selectively deleting the second set of the one or more plurality of items without deleting the first set of the one or more plurality of times based at least in part on determining the implied interest in the one or more items.   
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first set of the one or more plurality of items include cookies in a cookie store. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the second set of the one or more plurality of items include additional cookies in the cookie store. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the first and second set of the one or more plurality of items include browsing history items. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the implied interest is based on a browsing history in which the browser is used to browse to content associated with the first set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the browser is configured to periodically delete a class of items that includes the second set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 8 , wherein the browser is configured to automatically delete a class of items that includes the second set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         15 . A computer program product comprising one or more computer-readable storage media embodying software instructions which are executable by one or more processors of a computing system to implement a method that includes the computing system performing the following:
 the computing system detecting a plurality of items corresponding to content that is browsed to with a browser by the system;   the computing system identifying a first set of one or more of the plurality of items to be retained even when a delete operation is triggered for at least a second set of one or more of the plurality of items, the first set of the one or more of the plurality of items to be retained being based on an implied interest of the one or more items absent additional user actions with the first set of the one or more of the plurality of items;   the computing system detecting input for deleting the second set of one or more plurality of items; and   the computing system selectively deleting the second set of the one or more plurality of items without deleting the first set of the one or more plurality of times based at least in part on determining the implied interest in the one or more items.   
     
     
         16 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second sets of the one or more plurality of items include cookies in a cookie store. 
     
     
         17 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the first and second set of the one or more plurality of items include browsing history items. 
     
     
         18 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the implied interest is based on a browsing history in which the browser is used to browse to content associated with the first set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         19 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the browser is configured to periodically delete a class of items that includes the second set of one or more of the plurality of items. 
     
     
         20 . The computer program product of  claim 15 , wherein the browser is configured to automatically delete a class of items that includes the second set of one or more of the plurality of items.