APPARATUS FOR DISTRIBUTING DATA PROCESSING

Computer apparatus provides distribution of processing among a plurality of loci of control. Specific loci of control include an origination point, an entry point to a recipient's mailbox, in a recipient's mailbox, an exit point from a recipient's mailbox and a completion point after a last recipient. Processing is performed in a foreground or background task, and interactively or non-interactively at each desired loci of control. Processing includes invocation of an application automatically upon receipt of subject data at a focus of control or upon manual command by the recipient at the locus of control. Pre-existing applications are invoked through a common interface between the present invention apparatus and pre-existing applications. A data update routine records recipient's modification of the data during recipient editing in multiple sessions at a locus. A recovery routine insures that at most the last editing session is lost in a system crash. Files included in the subject data may be specified by preprogramming to be viewable or hidden to recipients.