Buddy list-based sharing of electronic content

A computer readable storage medium storing instructions that, when executed, cause a computer to:

• enable access to a contacts list user interface that makes perceivable identities and on-line presence information for at least some of those identities;
• receive, from a user, an indication of an electronic file that is to be shared with other identities;
• enable the user to manipulate the contacts list interface to designate at least two identities that appear ill the contacts list as identities with whom an electronic file is to be shared;
• in response to receiving the indication of the file that is to be shared and the designation of the at least two identities as identities with whom an electronic file is to be shared:
• automatically generate separate electronic communications to each of the at least two identities designated by the user, wherein each of the separate electronic communications is configured to enable the identity for whom it is intended to reply to the user but not the other of the at least two identities designated by the user, and
• include, within each of the automatically-generated electronic communications, the file that is to be shared;
• determine which of the at least two designated identities presently are online;
• send the separate, automatically-generated electronic communications, including the file that is to be shared, to the designated identities determined to be presently online using an instant messaging communications program;
• and
• send the separate, automatically-generated electronic communications, including the file that is to be shared, to the designated identities determined no to be presently online using one or more communications programs other that the instant messaging communications program.

A computer-implemented method for sharing electronic content, the method comprising:

• displaying, to a user of an instant messaging system, a graphical user interface that includes a list of instant messaging identities, that enables the user to perceive on-line presence information for at least some of the instant messaging identities included within the list of instant messaging identities, and that enables the user to initiate instant messaging sessions with at least some of the instant messaging identities included within the list of instant messaging identities:
• receiving an indication of a selection by the user of content to be shared with one or more instant messaging identities included in the list of instant messaging identities;
• receiving an indication of a selection by the user of multiple of the instant messaging identities from within the list of instant messaging identities;
• and
• in response to receiving the indication of the selection of content to be shared and the indication of the selection of the multiple instant messaging identities from within the list of instant messaging identities:
• determining which of the selected instant messaging identities are presently available to receive instant messages and which of the selected instant messaging identities are not presently available to receive instant messages,
• for each selected instant messaging identity determined to be presently available to receive instant messages, sending a separate instant message that includes the content to be shared to the selected instant messaging identity, and
• for each selected instant messaging identity determined not to be presently available to receive instant messages:
• determining an alternative delivery mechanism for communicating the content to be shared to the selected instant messaging identity, and
• leveraging the determined alternative delivery mechanism to communicate the content to be shared to the selected instant messaging identity.

A computer-implemented method for sharing electronic content, the method comprising:

• displaying, to a user of an instant messaging system, a graphical user interface that includes a list of instant messaging identities, that enables the user to perceive on-line presence information for at least some of the instant messaging identities included within the list of instant messaging identities, and that enables the user to initiate instant messaging sessions with at least some of the instant messaging identities included within the list of instant messaging identities;
• receiving an indication of a selection by the user of content to be shared with one or more instant messaging identities included in the list of instant messaging identities;
• receiving an indication of a selection by the user of multiple of the instant messaging identities from within the list of instant messaging identities;
• and
• in response to receiving the indication of the selection of content to be shared and the indication of the selection of the multiple instant messaging identities from within the list of instant messaging identities:
• determining which of the selected instant messaging identities are presently available to receive instant messages and which of the selected instant messaging identities are not presently available to receive instant messages,
• for the selected instant messaging identities determined to be presently available to receive instant messages:
• initiating an electronic chat room that includes each of the selected instant messaging identities determined to be presently available to receive instant messages, and
• making the selected content available in the electronic chat room to each of the selected instant messaging identities, and
• for each selected instant messaging identity determined not to be presently available to receive instant messages:
• determining an alternative delivery mechanism for communicating the content to be shared to the selected instant messaging identity, and
• leveraging the determined alternative delivery mechanism to communicate the content to be shared to the selected instant messaging identity.