Method for filtering mail messages for a plurality of client computers connected to a mail service system

A computer implemented method for filtering mail messages in a distributed computer system, the distributed computer system including a plurality of client computers connected to a mail service system via a network, comprising:

• storing mail messages in message files of the mail service system;
• parsing and indexing each mail message to generate a full-text index of the mail messages in a memory of the mail service system;
• composing a query including terms and operators;
• storing the query in the mail service system as a named filter query;
• storing, parsing, and indexing a new mail message received by the mail service system from a particular one of the plurality of client computers;
• and
• adding an in box label and an unread label to the new mail message if a content of the new mail message does not match on the named filter query.