Peer-to-peer communication system

A method of communicating between a first application component on a first peer and a second application component on a second peer through at least one of a plurality of messaging providers, the method comprising the acts:

• (a) providing generated application data from the first application component to a first store-and-forward messaging client on the first peer, the generated application data including information identifying an intended addressee, wherein the information identifying the intended addressee does not include an address used by any of the plurality of message providers, the first store-and-forward messaging client comprising:
• a first communication component for transmitting or receiving data using at least one of the plurality of messaging providers, the first communication component having a first programming interface through which data may be provided for transmission using a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers, and through which information from a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers may be passed to the first application component;
• wherein the generated application data is provided through the first programming interface of the first store-and-forward messaging client;
• and
• a datastore comprising a plurality of entries, each entry comprising a field for storing an indication of an addressee a field for storm an indication of a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers, and an address associated with the addressee in the indicated messaging provider;
• (b) selecting with the first store-and-forward messaging client at least one messaging provider from the plurality of messaging providers based on an indication of a messaging provider in one or more entries in the datastore that have an indication of the intended addressee, wherein the at least one messaging provider operates at least a portion of a network infrastructure to provide a messaging service to the first store-and-forward messaging client;
• and
• (c) transmitting the generated application data to a second store-and-forward messaging client on the second peer using the selected at least one messaging provider and using an address associated with the addressee for the indicated messaging provider in an entry in the datastore that has an indication of the intended addressee;
• wherein the second store-and-forward messaging client on the second peer comprises a second communication component for transmitting or receiving data using at least one of the plurality of messaging providers, the second communication component having a second programming interface through which data may be provided for transmission using a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers and through which information from a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers may be passed to the second application component.

A peer-to-peer communication system, comprising:

• (a) a plurality of messaging providers, wherein each messaging provider operates at least a portion of a network infrastructure to provide a messaging service to one or more peers;
• (b) a first peer coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of messaging providers and comprising a computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising:
• (i) a first communication component for transmitting or receiving data using at least a portion of the plurality of messaging providers, the first communication component having a first programming interface through which data may be provided for transmission using a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers and through which information from a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers may be passed to an application;
• (ii) a first application for generating and processing application data, the first application adapted to pass generated application data through the first programming interface and to receive application data for processing through the first programming interface, wherein the generated application data comprises information identifying an intended addressee, and wherein the information identifying an intended addressee does not include an address used by any of the plurality of message providers;
• (c) a second peer coupled to at least a portion of the plurality of messaging providers and comprising a computer-readable medium having computer-executable components comprising:
• (i) a second communication component for transmitting or receiving data using at least a portion of the plurality of messaging providers, the second communication component having a second programming interface through which data may be provided for transmission using a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers and through which data from a messaging provider of the plurality of messaging providers may be passed to an application;
• (ii) a second application for generating and processing application data, the second application adapted to pass generated application data through the second programming interface and to receive application data for processing through the second programming interface.