what is right way to setup email, say like in dating site, where members email..

[mac007]

Hello, all: have this general question on how to handle member's email in a site...

 

what is right way to setup email system, say like in dating site, where members can mail between each other, and if a member receives a new email it will "show" new email, and once it is read, then it turns off..

 

Not sure how the whole system would be setup... would the emails sent back and forth between members be entered into a database, which then will show in each member's email list as send/received email?  and if so, how would the site know that an "email" has been read or not? and show appropriate "new" email warning?  I am thinking, maybe a conditional statement like "if email present in users field, show "new-mail" icon, else show-nothing"??

 

Or am I completely off base?

 

Any feedback much appreciated!