Patent ID: 7844676

Claim:
A system for retrieving at least one stored email message from a data storage system coupled to an email system, the system comprising: means for receiving user input for retrieving the at least one email message from the data storage system coupled to the email system; means, coupled to the means for receiving, for accessing an index that stores the at least one email message according to a date when the at least one email message was originally received; wherein the means for receiving also receives input specifying a date on which to view a state of the email system via a displayable user interface associated with the email system; means, coupled to the means for accessing an index, for retrieving the stored at least one email message from the data storage system coupled to the email system; and, means for displaying the retrieved at least one email message via the displayable user interface associated with the email system, wherein the at least one email message and the displayable user interface associated with the email system appear in substantially the same way as when the at least one email message was originally received, wherein the means for displaying further displays, in substantially the same way as when the at least one email message was originally received, a folder hierarchy within the displayable user interface associated with the email system, an email message list within the displayable user interface associated with the email system, or both of the folder hierarchy and the email message list displayable user interface associated with the email system, and wherein the at least one email message establishes a state of the displayable user interface that corresponds to an earlier state of the displayable user interface as the earlier state for the email system on the date that the at least one email message was originally received.