1. A method for using a computer system to provide a user interface to an electronic text, comprising in sequence the steps of: a. on a display controlled by the computer system, presenting a portion of an electronic text and a portion of an outline of said electronic text, wherein: i. an element of the text comprises at least one phrase appearing in said electronic text, said at least one phrase comprising at least one word; ii. said outline comprises a plurality of elements, wherein elements of the outline comprise copies of elements of said electronic text; iii. each element of the outline represents a portion of said electronic text; iv. the combined elements of the outline comprise substantially less text than the entire said electronic text; v. substantially all portions of said electronic text are represented by at least one element of the outline; vi. at least one outline element is hierarchically superior to at least two other outline elements, indicating that said hierarchically superior outline element represents text also represented by said at least two other outline elements; vii. the relative positional and hierarchical relationships of elements of the outline correspond to the relative positional and hierarchical relationships of the portions of said electronic text represented by said elements of the outline; and viii. said presented portion of said outline is presented on said display in a distinct screen region different from the screen region in which said portion of electronic text is presented; and b. detecting a change in display location within said electronic text, wherein: i. said display location represents a location of said electronic text that is presented on said computer display; and ii. said change in display location is from a text location corresponding to a first outline element presented in said distinct region of step a.viii, to a text location corresponding to a second outline element initially not presented in said distinct region of step a.viii; and c. displaying said second outline element in said distinct region of step a.viii, wherein: the relative positional and hierarchical relationships of elements of the outline displayed on said distinct region of step a.viii correspond to their positional and hierarchical relationships in said outline.
1. A method for using a computer system to provide a user interface to an electronic text, comprising in sequence the steps of: a. on a display controlled by the computer system, presenting a portion of an electronic text and a portion of an outline of said electronic text, wherein: i. an element of the text comprises at least one phrase appearing in said electronic text, said at least one phrase comprising at least one word; ii. said outline comprises a plurality of elements, wherein elements of the outline comprise copies of elements of said electronic text; iii. each element of the outline represents a portion of said electronic text; iv. the combined elements of the outline comprise substantially less text than the entire said electronic text; v. substantially all portions of said electronic text are represented by at least one element of the outline; vi. at least one outline element is hierarchically superior to at least two other outline elements, indicating that said hierarchically superior outline element represents text also represented by said at least two other outline elements; vii. the relative positional and hierarchical relationships of elements of the outline correspond to the relative positional and hierarchical relationships of the portions of said electronic text represented by said elements of the outline; and viii. said presented portion of said outline is presented on said display in a distinct screen region different from the screen region in which said portion of electronic text is presented; and b. detecting a change in display location within said electronic text, wherein: i. said display location represents a location of said electronic text that is presented on said computer display; and ii. said change in display location is from a text location corresponding to a first outline element presented in said distinct region of step a.viii, to a text location corresponding to a second outline element initially not presented in said distinct region of step a.viii; and c. displaying said second outline element in said distinct region of step a.viii, wherein: the relative positional and hierarchical relationships of elements of the outline displayed on said distinct region of step a.viii correspond to their positional and hierarchical relationships in said outline. 14. The method of claim 1 , wherein said outline refers to several distinct electronic texts.