The present invention provides a method and apparatus for improving the utilization
of a resource in a shared client computer environment. The invention overcomes
the problem inherent in using traditional computer programs on a shared client,
by monitoring the status of an application, determining when an application does
not need a resource, and causing the application to stop consuming the resource.
In one embodiment, resource consumption is not halted, but the application is caused
to use less of the resource. The invention detects when a user has stopped interaction
with an application. This can occur, for instance, when the user removes an identifier
from the end user terminal. When the user interaction stops, the invention has
a mechanism to stop a program from consuming resources (or to reduce its resource
usage) and to restart it (or return it to its original state) later. The invention
further includes a procedure for stopping or reducing the resource usage of the
application when the user has stopped interacting with it, and to restart it when
the user begins (or is capable of beginning) interaction with it. All this is done
without modifying the application in any way.
