1. A method for controlling presentation of instant messages to a recipient in a data processing system, the method comprising:
- establishing threshold priority criteria;
- receiving an instant message;
- determining whether the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria; and
- presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria.
2. The method of claim 1 wherein determining whether the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprises:
- identifying attributes of the instant message; and
- determining whether the attributes of the instant message meet the threshold priority criteria in dependence upon criteria evaluation rules.
3. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprises:
- selecting one of a plurality of prioritized windows to present the instant message in dependence upon attributes of the instant message and at least one presentation rule; and
- presenting the instant message in the selected window.
4. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprises:
- selecting a position in an instant message box list for an identification of the instant message in dependence upon attributes of the instant message and at least one presentation rule;
- inserting an identification of the instant message in the instant message box list; and
- presenting the instant message box list to the recipient.
5. The method of claim 1 wherein presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprises:
- creating instant message metadata describing the instant message; and
- presenting to the recipient the instant message metadata.
6. The method of claim 1 further comprising forwarding, in an email message, the content of the instant message if the instant message does not meet the threshold priority criteria.
7. The method of claim 6 wherein forwarding, in an email message, the content of the instant message if the instant message does not meet the threshold priority criteria further comprises:
- copying the content of the instant message;
- inserting at least a portion of the content of the instant message in an email message; and
- sending the email message to the recipient.
8. A system for controlling presentation of instant messages to a recipient, the system comprising:
- a computer processor;
- a computer memory operatively coupled to the computer processor, the computer memory having disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
- establishing threshold priority criteria;
- receiving an instant message;
- determining whether the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria; and
- presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria.
9. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
- identifying attributes of the instant message; and
- determining whether the attributes of the instant message meet the threshold priority criteria in dependence upon criteria evaluation rules.
10. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
- selecting one of a plurality of prioritized windows to present the instant message in dependence upon attributes of the instant message and at least one presentation rule; and
- presenting the instant message in the selected window.
11. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
- selecting a position in an instant message box list for an identification of the instant message in dependence upon attributes of the instant message and at least one presentation rule;
- inserting an identification of the instant message in the instant message box list; and
- presenting the instant message box list to the recipient.
12. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
- creating instant message metadata describing the instant message; and
- presenting to the recipient the instant message metadata.
13. The system of claim 8 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of forwarding, in an email message, the content of the instant message if the instant message does not meet the threshold priority criteria.
14. The system of claim 13 wherein the computer memory also has disposed within it computer program instructions capable of:
- copying the content of the instant message;
- inserting at least a portion of the content of the instant message in an email message; and
- sending the email message to the recipient.
15. A computer program product for controlling presentation of instant messages to a recipient, the computer program product disposed upon a signal bearing medium, the computer program product comprising:
- computer program instructions for establishing threshold priority criteria;
- computer program instructions for receiving an instant message;
- computer program instructions for determining whether the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria; and
- computer program instructions for presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria.
16. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein computer program instructions for determining whether the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprise:
- computer program instructions for identifying attributes of the instant message; and
- computer program instructions for determining whether the attributes of the instant message meet the threshold priority criteria in dependence upon criteria evaluation rules.
17. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein computer program instructions for presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprise:
- computer program instructions for selecting one of a plurality of prioritized windows to present the instant message in dependence upon attributes of the instant message and at least one presentation rule; and
- computer program instructions for presenting the instant message in the selected window.
18. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein computer program instructions for presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprise:
- computer program instructions for selecting a position in an instant message box list for an identification of the instant message in dependence upon attributes of the instant message and at least one presentation rule;
- computer program instructions for inserting an identification of the instant message in the instant message box list; and
- computer program instructions for presenting the instant message box list to the recipient.
19. The computer program product of claim 15 wherein computer program instructions for presenting to the recipient the instant message if the instant message meets the threshold priority criteria further comprise:
- computer program instructions for creating instant message metadata describing the instant message; and
- computer program instructions for presenting to the recipient the instant message metadata.
20. The computer program product of claim 15 further comprising computer program instructions for forwarding, in an email message, the content of the instant message if the instant message does not meet the threshold priority criteria.
