Patent ID: 8005903

Claim:
A computer implemented method for managing e-mail messages, the computer implemented method comprising: responsive to sending an e-mail message from a sending data processing system to a receiving data processing system, storing a local copy of the e-mail message on the sending data processing system for a selected period of time, wherein the selected period of time is a four hour period of time required for a notification to be received when the receiving data processing system is unable to respond to the e-mail message; responsive to receiving the notification from the receiving data processing system that the receiving data processing system is unable to respond to the e-mail message, determining, by the sending data processing system, whether the local copy of the e-mail message is currently stored on the sending data processing system, wherein the local copy of the e-mail message is currently stored on the sending data processing system when a first set of attributes contained in the notification matches a second set of attributes contained in the e-mail message; responsive to determining that the local copy of the e-mail message is currently stored on the sending data processing system, retrieving, by the sending data processing system, the local copy of the e-mail message to form a retrieved e-mail message; and displaying the retrieved e-mail message on a display device; automatically purging the local copy of the e-mail message from the sending data processing system after the four hour period of time expires without receiving the notification from the receiving data processing system that the receiving data processing system is unable to respond to the e-mail message.