The present invention includes: a receiver that receives posting of a message including a request by a user; a poster that posts the message received by the receiver to a social networking service (SNS); an acquirer that acquires a message posted by an image forming device from the SNS, the image forming device being able to process the request and being among image forming devices that are associated with the user in the SNS; and a display that shows the message acquired by the acquirer.

An image forming apparatus includes an operation device that is connected to the image forming apparatus and receives an operation to the image forming apparatus; a processing unit that performs a predetermined processing by a first application in the image forming apparatus or the operation device; an error detecting unit that detects the error in the processing by the first application; a control unit that starts up a second application to resolve the error upon the error is detected; a transmission unit that transmits error data formed based on the contents of the error from the first application to the second application; and a display unit that displays the operation screen of the second application based on the error data.

A present image forming apparatus includes a first control unit that controls a native program, a second control unit that controls an extension application different from the native program, a first memory area in which an operation screen of the native program controlled by the first control unit is rendered, and a second memory area in which an operation screen of the extension application controlled by the second control unit is rendered. At least a part of the operation screen of the native program is output to a display when an event related to outputting of the operation screen of the native program has occurred while the display is displaying a screen rendered in the first memory area.

An image forming apparatus which is capable of appropriately producing displays using installed expansion application modules without using a window manager module. The image forming apparatus produces a display in accordance with a display instruction for at least one of the installed expansion application modules. When display instructions for the expansion application modules overlap each other, priorities for display are assigned based on starting conditions related to the expansion application modules.

An information processing system for providing a service via a service providing server residing on a first network, the service being requested by an information processing apparatus residing on a second network different from the first network based on application information, the information processing system including: first circuitry to obtain state information indicating a state of the service providing server; and second circuitry to transmit the state information of the service providing server to the information processing apparatus in response to reception of a service request to the service providing server from the information processing apparatus, to cause the information processing apparatus to perform a notification operation according to the state information that is received.

An image forming apparatus includes an extended app as an application for implementing a function other than the standard functions of the image forming apparatus, and an apparatus capability service generating information on the capability of the image forming apparatus, the information being used by the extended app when the extended app uses a function. The information on the capability indicates whether a function used by the extended app is effective.

An image processing apparatus includes a display, a memory that stores a firmware program for performing one or more basic functions of the image processing apparatus and a graphical user interface (GUI) function by which a GUI is displayed on the display, and a processor configured to, upon receipt of a first input operation corresponding to one of the basic functions via a first application program, execute the GUI function of the firmware program to generate a first GUI for accepting a second input operation related to the selected one of the basic functions, and control the display to display the first GUI via the application.

An information processing apparatus on which a plurality of applications is able to operate, the information processing apparatus comprising: an identifying unit configured to identify, on a first screen, an instruction of a transition to a second application, the first screen being provided by a first application; and a transmitting unit configured to transmit a transition information if the instruction of the transition is identified, the transition information including launcher information of the second application and identification information for identifying the first application, wherein a second screen is provided on a display unit based on the launcher information by the second application and the object is displayed on the second screen based on launcher information of the first application which is generated based on the identification information by the second application, and wherein if the object is selected, the first screen being provided by the first application is displayed.

An image forming apparatus which is capable of appropriately producing displays using installed expansion application modules without using a window manager module. The image forming apparatus produces a display in accordance with a display instruction for at least one of the installed expansion application modules. When display instructions for the expansion application modules overlap each other, priorities for display are assigned based on starting conditions related to the expansion application modules.

An image processing apparatus which is able to prevent a decrease in general versatility of an expansion application. The image processing apparatus has an operating system and the expansion application for expanding functions. When a USB device is connected to the image processing apparatus, a USB I/F communicates with the connected USB device. The connected USB device is controlled using the operating system or the expansion application. It is determined whether or not the connected USB device is a predetermined operating device that operates the image processing apparatus. When the connected USB device is the predetermined operating device, the connected USB device is controlled using the operating system.