Systems and methods for providing electronic messaging services to
multiple users by storing a single copy of an electronic message at a
central location and notifying recipients of the stored single copy. An
electronic message includes a distribution list and a message content. A
distribution list identifying multiple recipients causes prior art
systems to duplicate the entire message for each recipient, placing
potentially large demands on both processing power and storage space. In
contrast, the systems and methods disclosed herein store a single copy or
a limited number of copies of an electronic message addressed to multiple
recipients and provide each recipient with a relatively small
notification. In addition to providing information regarding content and
origin, the notification also provides access to the stored message.
Furthermore, the methods and systems also aid in organizing replies to
electronic messages. Replies are associated with an initial message
through a message identifier. The association helps to organize
electronic messages by subject and provides context without requiring an
author to duplicate the content of the initial message with the reply.