A method and system are provided for communicating results to a query for
data in a computer network utilizing a graphical user interface. A
framework on a client computer registers the client computer with an
information service provider. Then the framework receives the query for
data from the user interface. The framework creates a query packet
including the query for data. A remote computer in communication with the
framework resident on the local computing device receives the query
packet from the framework and sends a response packet to the framework.
After receiving the response packet, the framework determines whether the
response packet contains a result to the data query. If the response
packet contains a result to the data query, the framework formats the
result for presentation to a user via the user interface on the local
computing device. If the response packet, does not contain a result to
the data query the framework may send a status message, indicating that
no results were returned for the data query, to the user interface. The
data in the query packet and the response packet may be formatted in a
data format such as Extensible Markup Language ("XML").