38. A method for collecting and analyzing market data, comprising: providing a computer system adapted to operation of agents; providing a plurality of consumer agents, each associated with and capable of communicating with a consumer; providing a consumer data base of consumer preference data associated with each said consumer; providing a plurality of provider agents, each associated with and capable of communicating with a provider; providing a data base of offers to sell and offers to buy; concealing the identity of said consumer from agents not associated with said consumer; searching by said consumer agents of said data base of offers to sell and offers to buy, wherein said searching generates persistent market data; searching by said provider agents of said consumer data base and of said persistent market data to discover which of said consumer agents possess certain preferences and generated certain records within said persistent market data; analyzing the results of said searching by said provider agents to quantify consumer demand; whereby consumers are encouraged to utilize said system because the identity of each said consumer is concealed from said agents not associated with said consumer in said system; and whereby providers can gain access to valuable said persistent market data without imposing on or invading the privacy of said consumers.
38. A method for collecting and analyzing market data, comprising: providing a computer system adapted to operation of agents; providing a plurality of consumer agents, each associated with and capable of communicating with a consumer; providing a consumer data base of consumer preference data associated with each said consumer; providing a plurality of provider agents, each associated with and capable of communicating with a provider; providing a data base of offers to sell and offers to buy; concealing the identity of said consumer from agents not associated with said consumer; searching by said consumer agents of said data base of offers to sell and offers to buy, wherein said searching generates persistent market data; searching by said provider agents of said consumer data base and of said persistent market data to discover which of said consumer agents possess certain preferences and generated certain records within said persistent market data; analyzing the results of said searching by said provider agents to quantify consumer demand; whereby consumers are encouraged to utilize said system because the identity of each said consumer is concealed from said agents not associated with said consumer in said system; and whereby providers can gain access to valuable said persistent market data without imposing on or invading the privacy of said consumers. 39. The method of claim 38 wherein said searching by said provider agents is restricted to current data within said persistent market data, and said analyzing quantifies current consumer demand.