A method for conducting a contest using a network is provided. A plurality
of pick spaces, a virtual display fixture, and a plurality of virtual
articles of commerce are displayed on the screen of a user computer. The
user computer is disposed at a user site and operably connected to the
network. Initially, the virtual articles of commerce are arrayed on the
virtual display fixture. At least one of the plurality of virtual
articles moves across the screen from an initial position on the virtual
display fixture. Each of such moving virtual articles has a virtual
target region defined thereon. Each of the virtual target regions is at
least periodically visible on the associated virtual article. Each time
that a screen cursor is positioned on the visible virtual target region
of a moving virtual article and a pointing device operably connected to
the computer is simultaneously triggered, a particular character chosen
from a plurality of available characters is assigned to a successive one
of the plurality of pick spaces. Thereafter, the assigned character is
displayed in the corresponding pick space. When each pick space displays
an assigned character, an entry data packet is assembled including data
indicative of the assigned character in each of the plurality of pick
spaces. The entry data packet is transmitted from the user computer
across the network to a remote site.