METHOD FOR MANAGING AN ELECTRONIC MAIL BASKET SERVICE

摘要

A method is disclosed for managing an electronic mail basket service within a distributed computing system. A master electronic mail basket is established at each server machine for each user served by that server machine within the distributed computing systems. A duplicate or "shadow" electronic mail basket corresponding to the master electronic mail basket is then established at each requester machine. In this manner a user may quickly access his or her mail basket without the retrieval delay necessary to establish a server machine connection and obtain the contents of the mail basket. Changes in either the master electronic mail basket or a corresponding shadow electronic mail basket are automatically and periodically reconciled whenever the server machine connection is available. In the event multiple users are permitted to access the same electronic mail basket, shadow electronic mail baskets are established for each of the multiple users and changes entered at any shadow electronic mail basket are automatically reconciled with the corresponding master electronic mail basket as well as with all other shadow electronic mail baskets which correspond thereto. In a preferred embodiment of the present invention, changes which occur in a shadow electronic mail basket automatically generate an audible and/or visual notification to the user of the requester machine associated therewith.