1. A method for processing a user input character string entered by a user into a computer system that comprises a browser, said method comprising: receiving the user input character string, said user input character string conforming to a native character set and encoding of the browser for a language selected by the user; converting the user input character string to a converted character string consisting of characters of a Universal Character Set (UCS) which are independent of platform and language, wherein the converted character string comprises a plurality of leading whitespace characters, a plurality of trailing whitespace characters, and a middle character string comprising remaining whitespace characters that include at least one grouping of at least two consecutive whitespace characters, wherein the middle character string is disposed between the leading whitespace characters and the trailing whitespace characters, and wherein the leftmost character and the rightmost character of the middle character string are not whitespace characters; transforming the converted character string to a transformed character string by a first transformation or a second transformation, wherein said transforming the converted character string to the transformed character string by the first transformation comprises removing the leading whitespace characters and the trailing whitespace characters in the converted character string such that the transformed character string does not comprise any leading whitespace character, does not comprise any trailing whitespace character, and comprises the remaining whitespace characters; and wherein said transforming the converted character string to the transformed character string by the second transformation comprises removing the trailing whitespace characters in the converted character string such that the transformed character string does not comprise any trailing whitespace character and comprises both the leading whitespace characters and the remaining whitespace characters; and after said transforming, converting each grouping of the at least one grouping of at least two consecutive whitespace characters in the middle character string of the transformed character string to a single whitespace character, resulting in the transformed character string being converted to a resultant character string; wherein the method comprises modifying the user input character string to generate the resultant character string; wherein if said transforming consists of transforming the converted character string to the transformed character string by the first transformation, then said modifying consists of said converting the user input character string, said transforming the converted character string, and said converting each grouping; wherein if said transforming consists of transforming the converted character string to the transformed character string by the second transformation, then said modifying comprises said converting the user input character string, said transforming the converted character string, and said converting each grouping.