Message-based collaboration

A computer program product encoded on a non-transitory storage medium, the product comprising non-transitory, computer readable instructions for causing one or more processors to perform operations comprising:

• receiving, from a message communications system, an electronic message, the electronic message including content, and associated with one or more characteristics, the electronic message including an initial communication and a plurality of responsive communications to the initial communication;
• comparing at least one of the one or more characteristics of the electronic message to one or more triggering rules;
• based on the comparing, providing a suggestion to an author associated with the electronic message to convert the content of the electronic message to the format of the collaboration communications system, the suggestion including i) a text-based description of the one or more characteristics that satisfies at least one of the one or more triggering rules and ii) a hyperlink to an external website;
• based on the suggestion, receiving, from the author, a selection of the hyperlink;
• in response to the selection of the hyperlink, converting the content of the electronic message to a format of a collaboration communications system utilizing the hyperlink, the converting including:
• determining the format of the collaboration communication system includes a tree-based structure, and
• in response to the determining, providing the initial communication of the electronic message as a root node of the tree-based structure and the plurality of responsive communications each as a child node of the tree-based structure;
• comparing at least one of the one more characteristics of the electronic message to one or more collaboration rules, the collaboration rules defining parameters for collaboration messages;
• based on the comparing, determining the electronic message satisfies the collaboration rules, and in response, preparing a collaboration message employed within the collaboration communications system for electronic transmission, the collaboration message including the converted content of the electronic message;
• and
• displaying the collaboration message within the message communications system, the message communication system configured to emulate the collaboration communications system such that interaction with the collaboration message within the message communication system includes embedded replies associated with each communication within the collaboration message.

A system comprising:

• one or more computers;
• and
• a computer-readable medium coupled to the one or more computers having instructions stored thereon which, when executed by the one or more computers, cause the one or more computers to perform operations comprising:
• receiving an electronic message, the electronic message including content, and associated with one or more characteristics, the electronic message including an initial communication and a plurality of responsive communications to the initial communication;
• comparing at least one of the one or more characteristics of the electronic message to one or more triggering rules;
• based on the comparing, providing a suggestion to an author associated with the electronic message to convert the content of the electronic message to the format of the collaboration communications system, the suggestion including i) a text-based description of the one or more characteristics that satisfies at least one of the one or more triggering rules and ii) a hyperlink to an external website;
• based on the suggestion, receiving, from the author, a selection of the hyperlink;
• in response to the selection of the hyperlink, converting the content of the electronic message to a format of a collaboration communications system utilizing the hyperlink, the converting including:
• determining the format of the collaboration communication system includes a tree-based structure, and
• in response to the determining, providing the initial communication of the electronic message as a root node of the tree-based structure and the plurality of responsive communications each as a child node of the tree-based structure;
• comparing at least one of the one more characteristics of the electronic message to one or more collaboration rules, the collaboration rules defining parameters for collaboration messages;
• based on the comparing, determining the electronic message satisfies the collaboration rules, and in response, preparing a collaboration message employed within the collaboration communications system for electronic transmission, the collaboration message including the converted content of the electronic message;
• and
• displaying the collaboration message within the message communications system, the message communication system configured to emulate the collaboration communications system such that interaction with the collaboration message within the message communication system includes embedded replies associated with each communication within the collaboration message.