Abstract: Techniques, including systems and methods for distributing electronic messages, are disclosed. In an embodiment, information relating to a message thread is maintained. The information includes information identifying one or more members of a distribution list to be excluded from receiving messages in the message thread. When it has been determined to prevent distribution of the electronic message to one or more members of the distribution list, the electronic message is distributed to members of the distribution list excluding the one or more members to whom distribution is to be prevented. The distributed electronic message may identify the distribution list as an intended recipient.

Abstract: Techniques, including systems and methods for distributing electronic messages, are disclosed. In an embodiment, information relating to a message thread is maintained. The information includes information identifying one or more members of a distribution list to be excluded from receiving messages in the message thread. When it has been determined to prevent distribution of the electronic message to one or more members of the distribution list, the electronic message is distributed to members of the distribution list excluding the one or more members to whom distribution is to be prevented. The distributed electronic message may identify the distribution list as an intended recipient.

Abstract: Techniques, including systems and methods for distributing electronic messages, are disclosed. In an embodiment, information relating to a message thread is maintained. The information includes information identifying one or more members of a distribution list to be excluded from receiving messages in the message thread. When it has been determined to prevent distribution of the electronic message to one or more members of the distribution list, the electronic message is distributed to members of the distribution list excluding the one or more members to whom distribution is to be prevented. The distributed electronic message may identify the distribution list as an intended recipient.

Abstract: Techniques for orchestrating workflows are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a method of orchestrating a workflow is disclosed. In an embodiment, data is stored in a policy file which associates attributes with processes. User input is received. A process associated with an attribute is selected, where the attribute is based on the user input. The selected process is performed as part of the workflow. Also, processes may be added dynamically as part of any category inside the policy file without having to recompile or redesign the logic of the BPEL project.

Abstract: Embodiments of the present invention enable policy-based management of a user contacts list. Applications of the present invention are its use in embodiments of Instant Messaging (IM) systems. During an IM session, a session owner may temporarily add a contact to an active contacts list for a duration determined by evaluating constraints from one or more policies associated with the contact. At IM session initialization, a session owner's persistently stored contacts and their associated policies are retrieved, and the policies are evaluated. An active contacts list for use during the IM session is generated from a subset of stored contacts for which all associated policy constraints are satisfied. In embodiments, the active contacts list may be updated during a session by re-evaluating the stored contacts and associated policies. In embodiments, an active contacts list is updated after addition of a new contact determined to have an associated enabled policy satisfied.

Abstract: Techniques for orchestrating workflows are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a method of orchestrating a workflow is disclosed. In an embodiment, data is stored in a policy file which associates attributes with processes. User input is received. A process associated with an attribute is selected, where the attribute is based on the user input. The selected process is performed as part of the workflow. Also, processes may be added dynamically as part of any category inside the policy file without having to recompile or redesign the logic of the BPEL project.

Abstract: A mail server based approach to task management. In an embodiment, a first user sends a task assignment email indicating a task sought to be assigned, a list of assignees and a list of recipients. The mail server forwards the email message to all the recipients, while maintaining information of a current status of the task. The assignees may send status updates and the current status is accordingly updated. The status information on the server can be accessed by various users.

Abstract: Techniques for managing teleconferences. A plurality of people are associated with a plurality of identifiers such that each person is associated with at least one identifier. For each caller to a teleconference associated with a different identifier, authentication information is solicited from the caller. Authentication information is received from the caller in response to the solicitation and a determination, based on the received authentication information, is made whether the caller is associated with one of the identifiers.

Abstract: Techniques, including systems and methods, for maintaining current content are described and suggested herein. In an embodiment, information from a plurality of information sources is received. Communications between the computer system and a network are monitored. Subsequent to an inability to communicate over the network, an ability to communicate over the network is detected. Responsive to detecting the ability to communicate over the network, information from one or more of the information sources is requested. The one or more information sources may be servers providing web pages.

Abstract: Information indicating a time of validity of content of a web page is maintained as meta data within the page itself. A content server, in response to receipt of a request for the web page, determines whether web page has expired. If the content is determined not to have expired, the content server forwards the web page to the requesting user without modification. However, if the content is determined to have expired, the content server adds a warning tag in the content section of the page specifying that the content has expired, and then forwards the page to the requesting user, thereby alert the user of the expiry. In addition, the content server may obtain an updated web page, which may then be provided in response to future requests for the web page.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for auto play of a status in a telephone conference is provided. The method includes receiving, at an e-mail server, a status message of a party to a telephone conference, and determining from the status message whether the party will be able to attend the telephone conference. When it is determined that the party cannot attend the telephone conference, the method further includes forwarding the status message to a voice box for conversion of the status message into audio that is saved in an audio file. The method may also include notifying a teleconference bridge that the party associated with the status message will not be able to attend the telephone conference. The teleconference bridge creates an entry in a repository indicating that the party will need a voice proxy from the audio file, and, during the telephone conference, the status of the party is provided to other parties to the telephone conference by playing the audio file.

Abstract: Techniques, including systems and methods, for maintaining current content are described and suggested herein. In an embodiment, information from a plurality of information sources is received. Communications between the computer system and a network are monitored. Subsequent to an inability to communicate over the network, an ability to communicate over the network is detected. Responsive to detecting the ability to communicate over the network, information from one or more of the information sources is requested. The one or more information sources may be servers providing web pages.

Abstract: Techniques, including systems and methods for distributing electronic messages, are disclosed. In an embodiment, information relating to a message thread is maintained. The information includes information identifying one or more members of a distribution list to be excluded from receiving messages in the message thread. When it has been determined to prevent distribution of the electronic message to one or more members of the distribution list, the electronic message is distributed to members of the distribution list excluding the one or more members to whom distribution is to be prevented. The distributed electronic message may identify the distribution list as an intended recipient.

Abstract: A computer-implemented method for auto play of a status in a telephone conference is provided. The method includes receiving, at an e-mail server, a status message of a party to a telephone conference, and determining from the status message whether the party will be able to attend the telephone conference. When it is determined that the party cannot attend the telephone conference, the method further includes forwarding the status message to a voice box for conversion of the status message into audio that is saved in an audio file. The method may also include notifying a teleconference bridge that the party associated with the status message will not be able to attend the telephone conference. The teleconference bridge creates an entry in a repository indicating that the party will need a voice proxy from the audio file, and, during the telephone conference, the status of the party is provided to other parties to the telephone conference by playing the audio file.

Abstract: A mail server based approach to task management. In an embodiment, a first user sends a task assignment email indicating a task sought to be assigned, a list of assignees and a list of recipients. The mail server forwards the email message to all the recipients, while maintaining information of a current status of the task. The assignees may send status updates and the current status is accordingly updated. The status information on the server can be accessed by various users.

Abstract: A method includes monitoring, at a server, electronic messages transmitted across a network from any one of a group of participating users, determining if any of the electronic messages include any of a stored set of keywords, sending any electronic messages that include at least one keyword to a formatting module, extracting, at the formatting module, data relating to the keyword from the electronic message according to a previously-established rule stored in the network, and collating, at the formatting module, the data relating to the keyword into a second electronic message and transmitting the second electronic message to a supervising user.

Abstract: Information indicating a time of validity of content of a web page is maintained as meta data within the page itself. A content server, in response to receipt of a request for the web page, determines whether web page has expired. If the content is determined not to have expired, the content server forwards the web page to the requesting user without modification. However, if the content is determined to have expired, the content server adds a warning tag in the content section of the page specifying that the content has expired, and then forwards the page to the requesting user, thereby alert the user of the expiry. In addition, the content server may obtain an updated web page, which may then be provided in response to future requests for the web page.

Abstract: Techniques for managing teleconferences. A plurality of people are associated with a plurality of identifiers such that each person is associated with at least one identifier. For each caller to a teleconference associated with a different identifier, authentication information is solicited from the caller. Authentication information is received from the caller in response to the solicitation and a determination, based on the received authentication information, is made whether the caller is associated with one of the identifiers.

Abstract: In one embodiment, a rule is received that specifies an action to perform based on text of any instant messages received. An input is received to change from a first mode to a second mode. The second mode may be a virtual offline mode in which rules may be applied to incoming instant messages. When an instant message is received, text of the instant message is recognized. For example, text in the body of the instant message or metadata is determined. The rule is applied to the recognized text to determine if an action for the rule should be performed. For example, if a certain phrase is detected, then an action may be performed. The actions may include pre-configured auto-responses, allowing display of the instant message for certain senders even if the user has indicated he/she is busy, or storing of the message for later delivery.

Abstract: Techniques for orchestrating workflows are disclosed herein. In an embodiment, a method of orchestrating a workflow is disclosed. In an embodiment, data is stored in a policy file which associates attributes with processes. User input is received. A process associated with an attribute is selected, where the attribute is based on the user input. The selected process is performed as part of the workflow. Also, processes may be added dynamically as part of any category inside the policy file without having to recompile or redesign the logic of the BPEL project.