METHOD FOR SHARING DOCUMENT BETWEEN GROUPS OVER A DISTRIBUTED NETWORK

摘要

A technique is disclosed for sending and receiving documents between groups over a distributed computer network, which can include the Internet. The method includes receiving a message which includes a document from a member of a first group, the first message also including an indication of whether the document is send-able to other groups; sending a list of groups to the member of the first group to which the first member belongs if the indication indicates that the document is send-able to other groups; receiving a message which indicates that the document is to be sent to a second group; associating the document with the second group in a database; and storing the document in a database. There is only one version of the document stored in the database at any one time. Users of the method can create a document that is linkable to other groups so that these other groups can see the document without losing a connection to the document. The original user can edit or delete the document and have the changes to the document be reflected in all copies of the document throughout all the groups. The user can allow or prohibit other users to continue to send the document to other groups.