Abstract: A method is proposed for exchanging messages among users of computers. The method includes the steps on the computer (100) of each user of: activating a window (225), the active window having a frame (305) and a workspace (310) within the frame, receiving messages in succession from the computers of other users, and displaying a conversation element (230) including an indication of a focused one of the received messages, wherein the conversation element is displayed in correspondence of the frame of the active window.

Abstract: A method for sending messages in a data processing system (100) includes the steps of: providing a plurality of emotion images (240) each one including a digital graphic representation of an emotional state, the emotion images being partitioned into a plurality of categories, providing a plurality of category images (230) each one including a digital graphic representation of an emotional category, displaying at least part of the category images (225), selecting one of the displayed category images (230s), displaying at least part of the emotion images associated with the selected category image (235), selecting one of the displayed emotion images (240s), and inserting the selected emotion image into a new message (215).