Computer software for use in the fields of information retrieval and network access; computer networking equipment, apparatus, systems and software; computer software modules which work in conjunction with software useful for information retrieval and network access and which is useful for permitting users of a computer network to interact and communicate in real time in a shared virtual environment (chat room) by providing shared communication software and shared software applications which contain capabilities to permit users to access, retrieve, share, transfer, modify and interact in real time on common electronic documents which are stored in a computer accessible by a computer network; computer software modules which work in conjunction with software useful for information retrieval and network access and which is useful for permitting users of a computer network to interact and communicate in real time in a shared virtual environment (chat room) by providing shared communication software and shared software applications which contain capabilities for displaying a graphical user interface in a shared virtual environment and shared electronic documents namely, an electronic meeting agenda, electronic task list, electronic white board, electronic notepad, and electronic text editing and messaging; computer software modules which work in conjunction with software useful for information retrieval and network access and which is useful for permitting users of a computer network to interact and communicate in real time in a shared virtual environment (chat room) by providing communication software and shared software applications which contain capabilities for real time video and real time audio conferencing and which work in conjunction with information retrieval and network access to electronic documents