A system for monitoring a user's usage of a target application. Such a
target application can, as examples, be a software program running on a
computer or a workstation, an image forming device, an appliance, etc.
The target application includes a user interface with a plurality of
commands which a user can select. In the example of the target
application being a software program, the commands may be icons displayed
on a computer screen which a user can point to with a mouse pointer and
then click on. In the case of the target application being an image
forming device or an appliance, the interface may be an operation panel
with buttons, a touch pad, etc. which a user can press. The present
invention monitors the user's usage of such interfaces and logs data of
the user's usage of such interfaces. The logged data is stored in the
form of an abstract class, and the abstract class is sent to a sending
unit. The logged data can then be communicated by the sending unit by
Internet mail to a designated location.