Selective publication of e-mail account access frequency

1. A method for selective publication of e-mail account access frequency, the method comprising:

determining access frequency data for different e-mail accounts of a first e-mail user in a messaging data processing system;

receiving a request from a second e-mail user in the messaging data processing system for the access frequency data;

applying publication rules for the first e-mail user to the second e-mail user to determine whether or not to publish the access frequency data to the second e-mail user; and,

publishing at least part of the access frequency data to the second e-mail user if permitted by the application of the publication rules.

2. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

storing the access frequency data in connection with an address book entry for the first e-mail user in an address book of the second e-mail user.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

displaying the access frequency data in a tool tip activated in response to a mouse over associated with a reference to the first e-mail user in an e-mail client of the second e-mail user.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising

managing an address book entry for an address book of the second e-mail user according to the access frequency data of the first e-mail user.

5. The method of claim 1 , wherein

all of the access frequency data is published to the second e-mail user if the second e-mail user is referenced in an address book entry in an address book for the first e-mail user.

6. The method of claim 1 , wherein

only a summary of the access frequency data is published to the second e-mail user if the second e-mail user is referenced in an e-mail recently composed by the first e-mail user for delivery to the second e-mail user.

7. A messaging data processing system configured for selective publication of e-mail account access frequency, the system comprising:

an instant messaging (IM) server configured for communicative coupling to different e-mail users each accessing multiple different e-mail accounts;

a set of publication rules for the different e-mail users; and,

selective publication of access frequency data logic disposed in the IM server and coupled to the set of publication rules, the logic comprising program code enabled to

respond to a request from a second e-mail user for the access frequency data of a first e-mail user, to

apply a portion of the set of publication rules pertaining to the first e-mail user to the second e-mail user to determine whether or not to publish the access frequency data to the second e-mail user, and to

publish at least part of the access frequency data to the second e-mail user if permitted by the application of the set of publication rules pertaining to the second e-mail user.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein

the publication rules permit publication of all access frequency data for the first e-mail user if the second e-mail user in associated with an address book entry for an address book of the first e-mail user.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein

the publication rules permit publication of only a portion of the access frequency data for the first e-mail user if the second e-mail user in an addressee for an e-mail previously composed by the first e-mail user.

10. A computer program product comprising a computer usable storage medium having stored therein computer usable program code for selective publication of e-mail account access frequency, the computer usable program code, which when executed by a computer hardware system causes the computer hardware system to perform:

determining access frequency data for different e-mail accounts of a first e-mail user in a messaging data processing system;

receiving a request from a second e-mail user in the messaging data processing system for the access frequency data;

applying publication rules for the first e-mail user to the second e-mail user to determine whether or not to publish the access frequency data to the second e-mail user; and

publishing at least part of the access frequency data to the second e-mail user if permitted by the application of the publication rules.

11. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform

storing the access frequency data in connection with an address book entry for the first e-mail user in an address book of the second e-mail user.

12. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform

displaying the access frequency data in a tool tip activated in response to a mouse over associated with a reference to the first e-mail user in an e-mail client of the second e-mail user.

13. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein the computer usable program code further causes the computer hardware system to perform

managing an address book entry for an address book of the second e-mail user according to the access frequency data of the first e-mail user.

14. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein all of the access frequency data is published to the second e-mail user if the second e-mail user is referenced in an address book entry in an address book for the first e-mail user.

15. The computer program product of claim 10 , wherein

only a summary of the access frequency data is published to the second e-mail user if the second e-mail user is referenced in an e-mail recently composed by the first e-mail user for delivery to the second e-mail user.