A system and process for tracking users' usage of content in computer systems.
The tracking and accumulation of content usage information allows content providers
to understand more about their user base. In a computer system having numerous
users, it is advantageous to provide relevant customized content in addition to
any specifically requested content. By storing and processing content usage information
for users in a computer system, customized content may be provided to a user based
on the user's previous usage of similar content. In operation, a computer system
hosting various content creates a unique identifier, having data storage space,
for a given user of the computer system. When a user sends a request for content
to the computer system, a unique identifier is created and/or updated with information
relevant to a user's content request. The identifier is passed back to the user
with the specifically desired content. When processing subsequent requests for
content, the computer system updates the unique identifier with most recent usage
information. In addition, the computer system processes the unique identifier for
previous usage information in an effort to provide customized relevant content,
in addition to the specifically desired content.