Patent ID: 7996472

Claim:
A method of displaying messages to at least one of a plurality of users, comprising: providing local access to a locally shared electronic message area of a first computer that is openly available for viewing and interaction concurrently by a plurality of local users without a user log-in occurring; receiving a first message item at the first computer through a network connection, the first message item being addressed at a designated area within contents of the first message item to a first recipient and not to a second recipient, wherein the first message item is received at the first computer at an electronic mail address associated with the first recipient, wherein the electronic mail address associated with the first recipient is associated with an address of a client gateway, and wherein the first computer resides behind the client gateway; in response to receiving the first message item, displaying the first message item on the first computer including displaying the designated area of the first message item that identifies the first recipient; receiving a second message item at the first computer through the network connection, the second message item being addressed at a designated message area within the contents of the second message item to only the second recipient but not to the first recipient; and in response to receiving the second message item, displaying a representation of the second message item on the first computer including displaying the designated area of the second message item that identifies the second recipient while also displaying a representation of the first message item on the computer including displaying the designated area of the first message item that identifies the first recipient.