1. In a computer system having access to a text message that contains a plurality of semantic components that may include, for example, one or more headers or a message body, a method for compressing the text message on a per semantic component basis to form a compressed message while maintaining a degree of human readability, the method comprising the following: an act of accessing the text message; an act of parsing the text message into the plurality of semantic components; and for at least some of the plurality of semantic components, performing the following: an act of identifying a compression method, if any, to be used when compressing the semantic component for inclusion in the compressed message; and an act of including the compressed semantic component in the compressed message.