Patent ID: 7865554

Claim:
A computer storage medium encoding computer-readable instructions that, when executed by a processor, perform a method at an email bridge for providing an e-mail service at a local mail server, the method comprising: employing a processor executing computer executable instructions stored on a computer readable storage medium to implement the following acts: retrieving a first message from a first Internet mail server having a first Internet e-mail account, wherein the first message and the first Internet mail server support a first e-mail access protocol, wherein the first message is retrieved by instantiating a first connector object having logic for downloading e-mail according to the first e-mail access protocol of the first Internet e-mail account; retrieving a second message from a second Internet mail server having a second e-mail account, wherein the second message and the second Internet mail server support a second e-mail access protocol, wherein the second e-mail access protocol is different from the first e-mail access protocol, and wherein the second message is retrieved by instantiating a second connector object having logic for downloading e-mail according to the second e-mail access protocol; invoking a first deliverer object to deliver the first e-mail messages to the local mail server, wherein the first deliverer object supports the first e-mail access protocol; and invoking a second deliverer object to deliver the second e-mail message to the local mail server, wherein the second deliverer object supports the second e-mail access protocol, and wherein the first and second messages are accessible to a user associated with the local mail server.