Abstract: A group communication system is disclosed. The group communication system integrates a number of electronic communication tools to meet various communication needs among registered users in the system. To facilitate private communication among members in a group, a user directory is provided to allow an initiator to clearly view who he/she wants to communicate with. The user directory includes icons respectively associated with members in a group. Each of the icons can be enlarged when activated. Data from the communication is transported via a server device in the system based on respective identifiers (not email addresses) of the participants.

Abstract: A group communication system is disclosed. The group communication system integrates a number of electronic communication tools to meet various communication needs among registered users. The group communication system allows a group of users to participate in communications including internal mail, message exchanging and accessing files. When a member of a group shares a file with another member or members of the group, instead of sending a copy of the file directly to the members, the file is retained in a file store remotely located. Each of the members in the group gets notified of the availability of the file for sharing, thus avoiding distributing copies of the file to the members regardless they need it or not.

Abstract: A collaborative communication system is disclosed. The collaborative communication system integrates a number of electronic communication tools to meet the collaborative communication needs for an enterprise, family members or friends. The collaborative communication system allows a group of users to participate in communications including chatting and accessing files among the specified users. When a users uploads a file to a file store, each of the users gets notified of the availability of the file for accessing, wherein the file is not sent to any of client machines respectively used by the users, and is downloaded to a client machine when one of the specified users associated with the client machine accesses the file in the file store, thus avoiding to distribute copies of the file to each of the users regardless they need it or not.

Abstract: A group communication system is disclosed. The group communication system integrates a number of electronic communication tools to meet various communication needs among registered users in the system. According to one embodiment, a file is shared among members in a group. Instead of having a copy of the file be sent directly to all recipients at the same time, the file is retained in a store and downloaded therefrom to a client machine when a recipient decides to access the file. Further a mechanism is provided to retain a history of the file shared between or among the members so that everyone in the group can see what has been shared in the group.

Abstract: A collaborative communication system is disclosed. The collaborative communication system integrates a number of electronic communication tools to meet the collaborative communication needs for an enterprise, family members or friends. The collaborative communication system allows a group of users to participate in communications including chatting and accessing files among the specified users. When a users uploads a file to a file store, each of the users gets notified of the availability of the file for accessing, wherein the file is not sent to any of client machines respectively used by the users, and is downloaded to a client machine when one of the specified users associated with the client machine accesses the file in the file store, thus avoiding to distribute copies of the file to each of the users regardless they need it or not.

Abstract: Techniques for exchanging internal electronic mail over an open data network within a collaborative communication system are disclosed. The exchanging of the internal electronic mail does not rely upon an email address commonly known to include an @ sign. Each of registered users in the collaborative communication platform is assigned an identifier. The identifier is used for delivering the internal mail so authored similarly to a traditional email, except that the internal mail is delivered without relying upon an email address or the domain name therein. The identifier of a recipient cannot be used as an email address for someone other than any of the registered users to send a message to a user in collaborative communication system.