a computer network and a database are used to provide a hardware - independent , dynamic information system with information content user - controlled . requests are received from individual users of the computer network to electronically publish information , and input is accepted from the individual users . entries from the users containing the information to be electronically published are automatically collected , classified and stored in the database in searchable and retrievable form . entries are made freely accessible on the computer network . in response to user requests , the database is searched and entries are retrieved . entries are served to users in a hardware - independent page description language . the entries are password protected , allowing users to retrieve and update entries by supplying a correct password . preferably , the process is entirely automated with any necessary billing being performed by secure , on - line credit card processing . the user making a database entry has complete control of that entry both at the time the entry is made and in the future after the entry has been made . the entry , when served to a client , is transformed on - the - fly to the page description language . where the page description language is html and the computer network is the world wide web , the entry may function as a “ mini ” homepage for the user that made the entry . provision is made for graphics and other kinds of content besides text , taking advantage of the content - rich nature of the web .