1. A computer-implemented method for a user interface directed to discovering and publishing presence information on a network, comprising: programmatically querying a local file system to determine whether a nearby user is present on the network based on presence information that is periodically published on the network by the nearby user for receipt by other users on the network; wherein the published presence information is stored within the local file system and wherein the stored presence information in the local file system is used by other applications to determine the presence information; wherein a nearby user includes users that are connected within network proximity or physical proximity to a user; wherein the presence information is published in response to enablement of the user interface; and wherein the other users are users determined independent of whether a user is previously a contact of the nearby user; instantiating a portion of the user interface for peripheral and unobtrusive notification of the presence of the nearby user on the network; and displaying the presence of the nearby user in the portion of the user interface.