Patent ID: 6704772
Filing Date: 2004-03-09
Classification: G06Q,H04L

Abstract:
In an e-mail messaging system that provides clients of a host system with electronic messaging services, a method for providing access to an e-mail message, to a plurality of intended recipients, and in a way that reduces potential storage and processing requirements otherwise associated with duplicating the e-mail messages for each intended recipient, the method comprising the steps of:creating a distribution list that includes a plurality of intended recipients of an e-mail message; storing a single copy of the e-mail message at a host system to be shared by the plurality of intended recipients, regardless of whether the e-mail message has one or more associated attachments, and rather than storing a duplicate copy of the e-mail message for each of the plurality of intended recipients the e-mail message including one or more rules that define how the e-mail message can be used by the intended recipients; and without transmitting copies of the email message to the intended recipients, using the distribution list to send a notification message to each of the intended recipients that notifies each of the intended recipients of the e-mail message and that includes a link that can be used by the intended recipients to access the single copy of the e-mail message through the host system, as permitted by the one or more rules, and so as to enable the single copy of the e-mail message to be shared by each notified recipient, as permitted by the one or more rules.