A computer system and method implement a number of unique user interface
mechanisms to visually link information presented to a user and thereby
facilitate user comprehension of the contextual relationship of such
information. Information may be visually linked by displaying a connector
element that extends between first and second windows displayed on a
computer display. In addition, information may be visually linked by
applying one or more filter criteria to information elements and
displaying the results. For example, first and second filter criteria may
be applied to a plurality of information elements, with at least portions
of the resulting sets of filtered information elements displayed
concurrently. As another example, a filter criteria may be applied to an
information element, with the filtered and unfiltered representations of
the information element displayed concurrently. Information may also be
visually linked through a coordinated scrolling relationship where
portions of first and second sets of filtered information elements are
concurrently displayed in separate windows, with the displayed portions in
each window tracked with one another to display a particular location in a
body of knowledge. Also, information may be visually linked by
highlighting one of a pair of information element representations in
response to selection of the other information element representation when
such information element representations are associated with a common
concept.