Apparatus and method for correcting previously sent messages in a real-time messaging system

1. A method, in a first data processing system, of correcting a previously sent instant message, comprising:

activating a correction operation in the first data processing system by selecting the previously sent instant message from a message log and operating one of a physical and a virtual control for initiating correction of the selected previously sent instant message by opening a newly displayed correction window on a graphical user interface provided by the first data processing system, wherein the correction window has the selected previously sent instant message from the message log automatically displayed in the correction window for subsequent correction by a user of the first data processing system;

responsive to the correction operation being activated, automatically sending a notification command to a second data processing system that was a recipient of the previously sent instant message indicating that correction of the previously sent instant message is in progress;

receiving corrections to the previously sent instant message in the newly displayed correction window; and

transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

receiving, by the second data processing system, the notification command indicating that the user of the first data processing system is currently correcting the previously sent instant message; and

generating a notification that alerts another user of the second data processing system that the user of the first data processing system is currently correcting the previously sent instant message, wherein when the second data processing system receives the corrections, the alert is discontinued.

3. The method of claim 2 , wherein the notification includes at least one of textual output, graphical output, and audio output.

4. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system includes transmitting a corrected version of the previously sent instant message that includes the corrections depicted in a different manner from non-corrected portions of the previously sent instant message.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

storing a copy of the corrected version of the previously sent instant message in a message log; and

displaying the corrected version of the previously sent instant message in a message log portion of a graphical user interface.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein receiving corrections to the previously sent instant message includes receiving edits to the copy of the previously sent instant message from the user of the first data processing system, wherein the edits are depicted in a different manner than non-edited portion of the copy of the previously sent instant message in the correction window.

7. The method of claim 1 , wherein transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system includes:

receiving a selection of a send virtual button in the correction window; and

transmitting at least one of the corrections only and a corrected version of the previously sent instant message with the corrections depicted in a different manner from non-corrected portions of the previously sent instant message.

8. The method of claim 2 , wherein transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system includes sending only the corrections along with a predefined text string which indicates that this is a corrected message of the previously sent instant message and is used by the second data processing system to determine whether to discontinue the alert.

9. The method of claim 1 , wherein activating the correction operation includes at least one of receiving an input from an operated correction key on a keyboard and receiving an input from a correction button on a pointing device.

10. The method of claim 4 , wherein when the second data processing system receives the corrected version of the previously sent instant message, the corrected version is displayed in a message log portion of a graphical user interface on the second data processing system.

11. The method of claim 10 , wherein the corrected version of the previously sent instant message is displayed with an indicator indicating that the corrected version of the previously sent instant message is a corrected instant message, wherein the corrected version is a copy of the previously sent instant message with some portions of the corrected version being changed from what previously existed in the previously sent instant message to reflect the corrections that were made to the previously sent instant message.

12. The method of claim 10 , wherein the corrected version of the previously sent instant message is displayed in place of the previously sent instant message in the message log portion of the graphical user interface.

13. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

storing a transcript of an instant messaging session between the first data processing system and the second data processing system, wherein the transcript includes instant messages which were not corrected during the session and corrected versions of instant messages that were corrected during the session.

14. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for correcting a previously sent instant message, comprising:

first instructions for activating a correction operation in a first data processing system including instructions for selecting the previously sent instant message from a message log and instructions, responsive to selection of one of a physical and a virtual control, for initiating correction of the selected previously sent instant message by opening a newly displayed correction window on a graphical user interface provided by the first data processing system, wherein the correction window has the selected previously sent instant message from the message log automatically displayed in the correction window for subsequent correction by a user of the first data processing system;

second instructions, responsive to the first instructions, for automatically sending a notification command to a second data processing system that was a recipient of the previously sent instant message indicating that correction of the previously sent instant message is in progress;

third instructions for receiving corrections to the previously sent instant message in the newly displayed correction window; and

fourth instructions for transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system.

15. The computer program product of claim 14 , further comprising:

fifth instructions for receiving, by the second data processing system, the notification command indicating that the user of the first data processing system is currently correcting the previously sent instant message; and

sixth instructions for generating, by the second data processing system, a notification that alerts another user of the second data processing system that the user of the first data processing system is currently correcting the previously sent instant message, wherein when the second data processing system receives the corrections, the alert is discontinued.

16. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the notification includes at least one of textual output, graphical output, and audio output.

17. The computer program product of claim 14 , wherein the fourth instructions for transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system include instructions for transmitting a corrected version of the previously sent instant message that includes the corrections depicted in a different manner from non-corrected portions of the previously sent instant message.

18. The computer program product of claim 15 , wherein the fourth instructions for transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system include instructions for sending only the corrections along with a predefined text string which indicates that this is a corrected message of the previously sent instant message and is used by the second data processing system to determine whether to discontinue the alert.

19. An apparatus for correcting a previously sent message, comprising:

means for activating a correction operation in a first data processing system including means for selecting the previously sent message from a message log and means, responsive to selection of one of a physical and a virtual control, for initiating correction of the selected previously sent message by opening a newly displayed correction window on a graphical user interface provided by the first data processing system, wherein the correction window has the selected previously sent message from the message log automatically displayed in the correction window for subsequent correction by a user of the first data processing system;

means, responsive to the means for activating, for automatically sending a notification command to a second data processing system that was a recipient of the previously sent message indicating that correction of the previously sent message is in progress;

means for receiving corrections to the previously sent message in the newly displayed correction window; and

means for transmitting the corrections to the second data processing system.

20. A method for receiving instant messages by a second data processing system, comprising steps performed by the second data processing system of:

receiving an instant message from a first data processing system;

receiving a notification command indicating that a user of the first data processing system is correcting the received instant message;

generating a notification that alerts another user of the second data processing system that the user of the first data processing system is correcting the instant message;

receiving a corrected version of the instant message after the notification command has been received and after the notification has been generated; and

displaying the corrected version on a graphical user interface of the second data processing system.

21. The method of claim 20 , wherein when the second data processing system receives the corrected version of the instant message, the corrected version is displayed in a message log portion of graphical user interface gf the second data processing system.

22. The method of claim 21 , wherein the corrected version of the instant message is displayed with an indicator indicating that the corrected version of the instant message is a corrected message.

23. The method of claim 21 , wherein the corrected version of the instant message is displayed in place of the received message in the message log portion of the graphical user interface.

24. The method of claim 20 , wherein the notification includes at least one of textual output, graphical output, and audio output.

25. A computer program product stored on a computer readable medium for receiving instant messages, comprising:

first instructions for receiving an instant message from a first data processing system in a second data processing system;

second instructions for receiving a notification command indicating that a user of the first data processing system is correcting the received instant message;

third instructions for generating a notification that alerts a user of the second data processing system that the user of the first data processing system is correcting the instant message;

fourth instructions for receiving a corrected version of the instant message after the notification command has been received and after the notification has been generated; and

fifth instructions for displaying the corrected version on a graphical user interface of the second data processing system.

26. The computer program product of claim 25 , wherein when the second data processing system receives the corrected version of the instant message, the corrected version is displayed in a message log portion of the graphical user interface of the second data processing system.

27. The computer program product of claim 26 , wherein the corrected version of the instant message is displayed with an indicator indicating that the corrected version of the instant message is a corrected message.

28. The computer program product of claim 26 , wherein the corrected version of the instant message is displayed in place of the received message in the message log portion of the graphical user interface.

29. The computer program product of claim 25 , wherein the notification includes at least one of textual output, graphical output, and audio output.

30. An apparatus for receiving instant messages, comprising:

means for receiving an instant message from a first data processing system in a second data processing system;

means for receiving a notification command indicating that a user of the first data processing system is correcting the received instant message;

means for generating a notification that alerts a user of the second data processing system that the user of the first data processing system is correcting the instant message;

means for receiving a corrected version of the instant message after the notification command has been received and after the notification has been generated; and

means for displaying the corrected version on a graphical user interface of the second data processing system.