Method, System and Program Product Providing Compact Storage For Electronic Messages

• US 20080071865A1
• Filed: 09/15/2006
• Published: 03/20/2008
• Est. Priority Date: 09/15/2006
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Original Assignee: International Business Machines Corporation
• Inventors: Dutta, Shivnath
• Application Number:
  US11/532,147
• Publication Number:
  US 20080071865A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 709/206
• CPC Class Codes: G06Q 10/107 Computer-aided management of electronic mailing [e-mailing]

Abstract

A method of data processing includes selecting an email message, which includes message text, for processing. A determination is then made if the selected email message has a reply email and if the message text of the selected email message is contained in the reply email. In response to determining that the selected email message has a reply email that contains the message text of the reply email, the selected email message is deleted from data storage.

Claims

1. A method of data processing, said method comprising:

selecting an email message for processing, the email message including a message text;

determining if the selected email message has a reply email and if the message text of the selected email message is contained in the reply email; and

in response to determining that the selected email message has a reply email that contains the message text of the reply email, deleting the selected email message from data storage.

2. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting, determining and deleting steps are performed utilizing an email server application.

3. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting, determining and deleting steps are performed utilizing an email client application.

4. The method of claim 1, wherein said selecting, determining and deleting steps are performed in response to detecting that an amount of data storage being utilized to store email messages exceeds a first threshold.

5. The method of claim 4, and further comprising repetitively performing the selecting, determining and deleting steps for a plurality of email threads until the amount of data storage being utilized to store email messages falls below a second threshold.

6. The method of claim 1, wherein:

the selected email message includes header information, said header information including a name of a sender and a date;

said determining includes determining if the reply email includes an entirety of said message text and said header information; and

said deleting is performed only if the reply email includes an entirety of said message text and said header information.

8. The program product of claim 6, wherein said selecting, determining and deleting steps are performed utilizing an email server application.

9. The program product of claim 6, wherein said selecting, determining and deleting steps are performed utilizing an email client application.

10. The program product of claim 6, wherein said method further comprises performing the selecting, determining and deleting steps in response to detecting that an amount of data storage being utilized to store email messages exceeds a first threshold.

11. The program product of claim 9, said method further comprising repetitively performing the selecting, determining and deleting steps for a plurality of email threads until the amount of data storage being utilized to store email messages falls below a second threshold.

7. A program product comprising:

a tangible computer readable medium; and

program code, within said tangible computer readable medium, for performing a method including the following steps;

selecting an email message for processing, the email message including message text;

determining if the selected email message has a reply email and if the message text of the selected email message is contained in the reply email; and

in response to determining that the selected email message has a reply email that contains the message text of the reply email, deleting the selected email message from data storage.

12. The program product of claim 7, wherein:

the selected email message includes header information, said header information including a name of a sender and a date;

said determining includes determining if the reply email includes an entirety of said message text and said header information; and

said program code performs said deleting only if the reply email includes an entirety of said message text and said header information.

13. A data processing system, comprising:

a processor unit; and

data storage coupled to the processor unit, said data storage including program code for causing the data processing system to perform a method including the following steps;

selecting an email message for processing, the email message including message text;

determining if the selected email message has a reply email and if the message text of the selected email message is contained in the reply email; and

in response to determining that the selected email message has a reply email that contains the message text of the reply email, deleting the selected email message from data storage.

14. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein said program code comprises an email server application.

15. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein said program code comprises an email client application.

16. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein said method further comprises performing the selecting, determining and deleting steps in response to detecting that an amount of data storage being utilized to store email messages exceeds a first threshold.

17. The data processing system of claim 16, said method further comprising repetitively performing the selecting, determining and deleting steps for a plurality of email threads until the amount of data storage being utilized to store email messages falls below a second threshold.

18. The data processing system of claim 13, wherein:

the selected email message includes header information, said header information including a name of a sender and a date;

said determining includes determining if the reply email includes an entirety of said message text and said header information; and

said program code performs said deleting only if the reply email includes an entirety of said message text and said header information.