11. An information retrieval system for accumulation and retrieval of data related to one or more information sources in a search space, said system comprising: remote program code at least one remote terminal; said remote program code being adapted for monitoring user activity of at least one user accessing any information source in the search space wherein the monitoring occurs irrespective of whether a uniform resource locator (URL) accessed in the search space is the same as the URL of said central program code, for collecting monitored data related to said user activity and to each of said information sources accessed by said at least one user, and for transmitting said monitored data, wherein said remote program code monitors and transmits said user activity without requiring said at least one user to access a search engine or any particular web site, and the monitoring and transmitting is independent of the at least one user's access to any search engine, and further wherein the user does not need to access the search engine or the particular website for the monitoring to be performed; and a central computer having central program code receiving said monitored data transmitted from said remote program code; said central program code being adapted for maintaining a central database of data records, for accessing information related to said information sources, and for comparing said data records with said information related to said information sources; wherein said central program code supplements said data records in accordance with said monitored data to provide an augmented central database, said central computer identifying candidate response information related to said information sources in response to a request for information from said at least one user, comparing contents of said augmented central database with said request and with said candidate response information, customizing information retrieval results for said at least one user based on said identifying and said comparing, and transmitting, to said remote program code at said at least one remote terminal, data concerning one or more of said information sources which contain information relevant to said request so as to progressively tailor said customized information retrieval results for said at least one user and provide said customized information retrieval results to said at least one user.
11. An information retrieval system for accumulation and retrieval of data related to one or more information sources in a search space, said system comprising: remote program code at least one remote terminal; said remote program code being adapted for monitoring user activity of at least one user accessing any information source in the search space wherein the monitoring occurs irrespective of whether a uniform resource locator (URL) accessed in the search space is the same as the URL of said central program code, for collecting monitored data related to said user activity and to each of said information sources accessed by said at least one user, and for transmitting said monitored data, wherein said remote program code monitors and transmits said user activity without requiring said at least one user to access a search engine or any particular web site, and the monitoring and transmitting is independent of the at least one user's access to any search engine, and further wherein the user does not need to access the search engine or the particular website for the monitoring to be performed; and a central computer having central program code receiving said monitored data transmitted from said remote program code; said central program code being adapted for maintaining a central database of data records, for accessing information related to said information sources, and for comparing said data records with said information related to said information sources; wherein said central program code supplements said data records in accordance with said monitored data to provide an augmented central database, said central computer identifying candidate response information related to said information sources in response to a request for information from said at least one user, comparing contents of said augmented central database with said request and with said candidate response information, customizing information retrieval results for said at least one user based on said identifying and said comparing, and transmitting, to said remote program code at said at least one remote terminal, data concerning one or more of said information sources which contain information relevant to said request so as to progressively tailor said customized information retrieval results for said at least one user and provide said customized information retrieval results to said at least one user. 18. A system as claimed in claim 11 , wherein said search space comprises the Internet, and media programming comprising at least one of television programming and radio programming, so that said at least one user can access said media programming as a result of said information retrieval results.