Method and system for distributing e-mail messages to recipients

A data processing system supporting an electronic mail (e-mail) messaging service, comprising:

• a remote directory of recipients' contacts including recipients e-mail addresses;
• a mailbox associated with a distribution list building agent for interacting with the directory so as to perform queries and to retrieve lists of recipients' e-mail addresses;
• a sender mail user agent located remotely with respect to said remote directory for including in the e-mail message directives for performing a query on said directory, and to address the e-mail message to said mailbox;
• and
• a mail transfer agent for propagating the e-mail message received from the sender mail user agent to recipients whose e-mail addresses are in a distribution list built by the distribution list building agent.

A method for operating a directory so as to provide e-mails to multiple recipients, comprising:

• receiving, in a mailbox of said directory, an e-mail from a remote user of said directory, said e-mail having directives therein for performing queries on said directory, said directory including lists of potential recipients of the e-mail, said lists including e-mail addresses of said recipients;
• providing, associated with said mailbox, a distribution list building agent adapted to interact with the directory so as to perform said queries on the directory and obtain in reply at least one list of e-mail addresses of recipients, in accordance with said instructions;
• and
• propagating the e-mail message from said mailbox to the recipients whose e-mail addresses are in said at least one list obtained in accordance with said instructions.

A data processing system for providing an electronic mail (e-mail) messaging service, comprising:

• a directory of contacts of recipients including e-mail addresses of said recipients;
• a mailbox associated with a distribution list building agent, said distribution list building agent interacting with the directory so as to perform queries and to retrieve lists of e-mail addresses of recipients based on directives in said e-mail;
• and
• a mail transfer agent for propagating the e-mail message received in the mailbox to recipients whose e-mail addresses are in a distribution list built by the distribution list building agent.