Patent ID: 7003724

Claim:
A method for providing a display of an electronic mail collection, comprising: forming at least one type of electronic mail message abbreviation from the electronic mail collection, the electronic mail collection having at least one electronic mail message, wherein each type of electronic mail abbreviation specifies a manner in which electronic mail messages in the electronic mail collection can be abbreviated; placing the at least one type of electronic mail message abbreviation in a collection viewing cascade, wherein the collection viewing cascade includes a plurality of viewing levels for presenting abbreviated forms of the electronic mail messages in the electronic mail collection, wherein each viewing level in the collection viewing cascade offers a different degree of detail for presenting the abbreviated forms of the electronic mail messages, and wherein the abbreviated forms of the electronic mail messages are abbreviated in accordance with the at least one type of electronic mail message abbreviation placed in the collection viewing cascade; receiving a selected viewing level for viewing; and displaying the collection viewing cascade at the selected viewing level.