1. A computer-implemented method for providing a user with an augmented user interface comprising: receiving at a remote server a request from a requesting computer to login the user; authenticating the user at the remote server, and upon authenticating the user, retrieving from a database stored on the remote server a user preference file, wherein the user preference file records the user's preference for configuring the requesting computer; and sending to the requesting computer the user's preference file, wherein the preference file contains information to allow the requesting computer to implement and configure an augmented user interface (AUI) by directing output on the requesting computer to an augmented user interface component that processes the output to provide the AUI to the user.