/*
 * Copyright 2002 Sun Microsystems, Inc. All rights reserved.
 * SUN PROPRIETARY/CONFIDENTIAL. Use is subject to license terms.
 */

package javax.mail;

import java.io.Serializable;

/**
 * This abstract class models the addresses in a message.
 * Subclasses provide specific implementations.  Subclasses
 * will typically be serializable so that (for example) the
 * use of Address objects in search terms can be serialized
 * along with the search terms.
 *
 * @author John Mani
 * @author Bill Shannon
 */

public abstract class Address implements Serializable {

    /**
     * Return a type string that identifies this address type.
     *
     * @return	address type
     * @see	javax.mail.internet.InternetAddress
     */
    public abstract String getType();

    /**
     * Return a String representation of this address object.
     *
     * @return	string representation of this address
     */
    public abstract String toString();

    /**
     * The equality operator.
     *
     * @param	address	Address object
     */
    public abstract boolean equals(Object address);
}