Modelling messages as objects

In traditional computer-based message systems, messages are typically viewed as passive entities with no processing power. The users are thus responsible for explicitly creating, routing and processing each message instance. Messages, though, may be viewed as objects which can do processing on their own. With increasing interest in object-based systems, it is not difficult to envisage a system in which messages are viewed as objects with processing capabilities comparable to the objects in object-based systems. This paper explores the concept of `messages as objects´ and speculates on the significance and advantage of viewing messages as objects. Research issues in formal definition of an object-based message management system are discussed