Persistent conversations

1. A computer-implemented method comprising:

receiving, by a processor, a communication message sent from a first user to at least one other user;

generating, at the processor, a persistent conversation object that represents a conversation, the persistent conversation object having a conversation content section and conversation state information, wherein the conversation state information includes an indication of whether history tracking for the conversation is enabled or disabled;

providing a global setting to enable or disable history tracking, wherein the global setting is effective for all users in the conversation;

when history tracking is enabled, storing the communication message permanently in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object; and

when history tracking is disabled,

storing the communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object;

determining that a predefined finite amount of time has passed after the storing; and

based on the determining, deleting the communication message.

2. The method of claim 1 , wherein the communication message includes one or more of a text message, an image file, an audio file, a video file, a phone call, a fax, a one-to-one audio/video conference, and a multi-way audio/video conference.

3. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing a rendering of the conversation content section and the conversation state information including the indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled.

4. The method of claim 1 , further comprising:

providing for display, a user interface that includes at least a portion of the conversation content section, an avatar that represents each user participating in the conversation, and a visual indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled.

5. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

updating an appearance of the avatar based on a focus state of the user that corresponds to the avatar.

6. The method of claim 4 , further comprising:

providing for display in the conversation content section, each avatar at a watermark point of the user associated with the avatar.

7. A system comprising:

a processor, an input/output (I/O) interface coupled to the processor, and a memory coupled to the processor,

wherein the processor is configured to perform operations including:

receiving, via the I/O interface, a communication message sent from a first user to at least one other user;

generating, at the processor, a persistent conversation object representing a conversation and having a conversation content section and conversation state information, wherein the conversation state information includes an indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled and a typing state of each user;

providing a global setting to enable or disable history tracking, wherein the global setting is effective for all users in the conversation;

when history tracking is enabled, storing, in the memory, the communication message permanently in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object;

when history tracking is disabled,

storing, in the memory, the communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object;

determining that a predefined finite amount of time has passed after the storing; and

based on the determining, deleting the communication message; and

providing for display the conversation content section and the conversation state information including an indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled and an indication of the typing state of each user.

8. The system of claim 7 , wherein the communication message includes one or more of a text message, an image file, an audio file, a video file, a phone call, a fax, a one-to-one audio/video conference and a multi-way audio/video conference.

9. The system of claim 7 , wherein the operations further include:

providing, for display, a user interface including at least a portion of the conversation content section, an avatar representing each user participating in the conversation and a visual indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled.

10. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further include:

updating an appearance of the avatar based on a focus state of the user corresponding to the avatar.

11. The system of claim 9 , wherein the operations further include:

providing for display in the conversation content section, each avatar at a watermark point of the user associated with the avatar.

12. A nontransitory computer readable medium having stored thereon software instructions that, when executed by a processor, cause the processor to perform operations comprising:

receiving a communication message sent from a first user to at least one other user;

generating a persistent conversation object representing a conversation and having a conversation content section and conversation state information, wherein the conversation state information includes an indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled;

providing a global setting to enable or disable history tracking, wherein the global setting is effective for all users in the conversation;

when history tracking is enabled, storing the communication message permanently in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object;

when history tracking is disabled,

storing, in the nontransitory computer readable medium, the communication message in the conversation content section of the persistent conversation object;

determining that a predefined finite amount of time has passed after the storing; and

based on the determining, deleting the communication message;; and

providing, for display, the conversation content section and a message composition area including an indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled in both the conversation content section and the message composition area.

13. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the communication message includes one or more of a text message, an image file, an audio file, a video file, a phone call, a fax, a one-to-one audio/video conference and a multi-way audio/video conference.

14. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 12 , wherein the operations further include:

providing, for display, a user interface including at least a portion of the conversation content section, an avatar representing each user participating in the conversation and a visual indication of whether history tracking is enabled or disabled.

15. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further include:

updating an appearance of the avatar based on a focus state of the user corresponding to the avatar.

16. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the operations further include:

providing for display in the conversation content section, each avatar at a watermark point of the user associated with the avatar.

17. The nontransitory computer readable medium of claim 14 , wherein the conversation state information further includes a level corresponding to the first user and the other user indicating a point in the conversation where each corresponding user last had focus on the conversation.