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Net Know-How

Sending and receiving e-mail
How do I get setup with e-mail?
Which e-mail package should I buy?
How do I retrieve my e-mail?
What is my e-mail address?
Now that I have e-mail, what can I do?
How do I send a message?
How do I send a message if I don't know someone's address?
How fast does my message get to its recipient?
How do I reply to a message?
How do I know if my message was received?
What can I do if a message is returned to me?
How do I know if I have new e-mail?
Do I have to manually check my mail?
Can I save messages?
How do I delete messages?
How do I keep track of people's addresses?
Is there a way to file my mail?
Can I forward mail?
Can I forward mail to myself at another address?
How do I attach a file?
Is attaching a text file different from attaching a multimedia file?
How will I know if I have an attachment?
Can I send a fax through e-mail?
How do I get my e-mail when I'm on vacation or away from my computer?
Is there a way to let people know I'm on vacation?
Can I access Internet e-mail when I'm not connected?
How can I create a signature?
Can I give my messages priority?
Do I have any control over the messages that people send me?
How can I avoid viruses, harassment, and forgery?
How do I get setup with e-mail?

You can receive e-mail in several ways. First, you need an e-mail account. Your employer or school may give you an account, or you might receive it through an Internet Service Provider (ISP). The only other requirement for e-mail is a direct or dial-up connection, or an internal or external modem.

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Which e-mail package should I buy?

It really depends on the features that you desire. For example, Eudora Pro 2.4 and Eudora Light 1.5.4 allow you to click on what is called an active URL within the text of the message, to automatically open Netscape and take you directly to the page.

Research is the key to getting what you want. The links below may help you decide, especially since some of these programs are free.

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How do I retrieve my e-mail?

The answer depends on the service you use. If you have CompuServe or America Online, you use its proprietary software to read e-mail. If you get e-mail at work or school, your system administrator has most likely provided you with software.

If you use an Internet Service Provider, it has probably hooked you up with a program such as Eudora that enables you to read e-mail. Other programs--such as Netscape Navigator and Microsoft's Internet Explorer--can work with standard Internet mail systems.

To read your e-mail, you need to know your account name, which is usually a variation on your name, as well as your e-mail password. Your system administrator can help you with this. If you use an Internet Service Provider, your login name is your e-mail name.

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Postmaster, postmaster, send me some help
If you have an Internet Service Provider and you need help, you can almost always get it by sending an e-mail message to postmaster@yourservice.com. Substitute the name of your service for yourservice.
What is my e-mail address?

Your e-mail address is usually made up of some version of your name, the @ sign, and a combination of either a host or subdomain, or both, and a domain. For example:

kimba_whitelion@africa.com (username@subdomain.domain)

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Now that I have e-mail, what can I do?

You can send letters, graphic attachments, software, sound files, or virtually anything--as long as you have someone's e-mail address. You can also join a mailing list. For a broad overview of getting started, check out You Have E-mail! by Charles Bowen.

The only things you can't do with e-mail--if you want to keep your friends and not get kicked off your server--are flaming and spamming.

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How do I send a message?

To send a message in Eudora, put your intended recipient's address or nickname (a pre-programmed name that represents that person or group of people) in the To: field, click on the text box and start typing. You can select the nickname through the New Message To: option under the Message menu. When you are done, hit Send and the message will travel through the ether.

In Exchange, it is much the same, except that you can click on the To: button and it will bring up your address book, where nicknames and e-mail addresses are stored. After you finish typing, however, hitting the Send icon does not ensure delivery of the message. You must also select Deliver Now from the Tools menu. If you don't, the message will be placed in your outbox and not be delivered until you connect to the network again. Deliver Now also checks for any incoming mail.

If you are sending e-mail to more than one person, you can separate recipients in the To: field by the punctuation dictated by your e-mail program (a comma in Eudora, a semicolon in Exchange), or put additional recipients in the cc: (carbon/courtesy copy) or bcc: (blind carbon/courtesy copy) fields.

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Cannot unsend
Remember one thing: Internet e-mail cannot be unsent. Even if you're very confident in your message at the time, once you send that e-mail flame, it's gone. So try to cool down and give each message a thorough proofread.
How do I send a message if I don't know someone's address?

There are several ways. You can use Knowbot Information Service (KIS), Whois, Netfind, or finger programs to locate individuals on the Web, as well as online resources such as WhoWhere?, Four11, or Switchboard. Or you can search the Usenet databases (such as Deja News). If you have some idea of the correct subdomain and domain (such as cornell.com), it may be easier to find the person.

In addition, with Knowbot, you can e-mail your search (no subject, just type "query firstname lastname" as the text of the message) to kis@cnri.reston.va.us to get an easy answer.

KIS also allows you to e-mail your search. You don't need a subject, just type query firstname lastname as the text of the message to kis@cnri.reston.va.us to get an answer.

Alternatively, if you have either a Unix shell account that allows you to Telnet to remotely log in to a server, or a mail program that gives you access to prompts, you can contact KIS, as well as Netfind and finger. Whois can be accessed in three ways: through Telnet, by sending e-mail to mailserv@ds.internic.net, or by going to the site.

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Veto the chain gang
Do not send chain letters. If you get a chain letter, just delete it: Don't send a message back to the sender telling him or her not send chain letters. You can send e-mail to the postmaster at the server and let them know what's going on. Chain letters are not funny; they clog mail systems and have shut down networks.
How fast does my message get to its recipient?

If your recipient is on the same domain as you are, it could be instantaneous, unless the mail server at your Internet Service Provider or company data center is set to send and receive only at certain times. Most university systems are pretty quick, but some larger services and free Internet Service Providers can take more than 24 hours.

If the recipient uses dial-up access to get mail and he or she doesn't log in every day, you could theoretically wait a long time for a response or receipt.

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How do I reply to a message?

In most cases, you just find the Reply feature and click on it. In Eudora, this is located under the Message menu. In Exchange, it's under the Compose menu.

It's a good idea to quote any part of the message you are referring to, as the recipient's program may not be setup to keep the previous message. If you have Eudora or Exchange, you can configure them to include the text of the message in your reply. You might want to delete any parts of the message that do not apply to your response. If your e-mail program does not have that option, you can just cut and paste the pertinent part into your reply. However, it is bad form to overquote. See our Netiquette section for details.

If you receive a message with ">"signs to the left of the text, it has been quoted from a prior message.

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Keep it under control
You don't have to reply to every e-mail message that you get. If you do, and your correspondents do as well, then the number of messages you receive every day will increase geometrically.
How do I know if my message was received?

Usually if you do not get a bounce message, it's safe to assume that your message got through. If you simply must know when your messages have been received, see if your program has a receipt option. If it does, you will get a receipt in your inbox telling you exactly when the mail was received.

You can configure Exchange to tell you when a message was delivered or when it was read, although if the recipient's e-mail system doesn't support this, it won't work. Some e-mail packages can show the status of a message as either read, unread, or deleted.

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What can I do if a message is returned to me?

You can try to resend it--the recipient's server could have been down. Or you can send a message to the postmaster at the recipient's service. You might want to check for typos first, though, as e-mail addresses must be exact to reach the intended recipient.

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How do I know if I have new e-mail?

You can configure your program to make a sound, open a dialogue box, or display an icon on your desktop. In Eudora, new messages are marked to the left with a bullet; in Exchange, the messages will appear in bold.

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Do I have to manually check my mail?

No. You can use automatic dial-up to check your mail for you at specific times. You can also configure Eudora and Exchange to check at set intervals. In the Eudora Options box, found in the Tools menu, select Checking Mail. You will find a minutes field in which you enter the interval you want. The full version of Exchange allows you to set a time to check mail.

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Can I save messages?

You can set up your e-mail application to keep copies of your outgoing messages in your outbox. This is a good idea in general, as it helps to keep a record of your correspondence. You can also file or store your messages. For more info, see "Is there a way to file my mail?"

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Get organized
Don't use your electronic mailbox as a things-to-do list. Instead, create a second mailbox or folder for e-mail messages that still need to be answered or acted upon. This will prevent important new messages from getting lost.
How do I delete messages?

Most e-mail applications, including Eudora, have a Trash icon that allows you to select the message, click on the icon, and delete. You can also choose Delete from the Message menu. This moves the message to the Trash box, so effectively, it is still there. You can either delete it from within the Trash, by selecting Trash from the Mailbox menu, or configure your options to empty the Trash when you exit the program.

In Exchange, you must select the message and click on the Delete icon, which looks like an "X", or select Delete from the File menu. As in Eudora, the message is not really gone. You have to either set up the program to delete messages when exiting or manually trash them from the Deleted Items folder, available through the Folders option under the View menu.

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Multiple deletions
To delete multiple messages in both Eudora and Exchange, click on one of the messages, hold down the Shift key and drag the cursor over the titles of the messages. Eudora also lets you delete by clicking on one of the messages and dragging the cursor over the others, without using the Shift key.
How do I keep track of people's addresses?

Typing a frequently used address over and over can be frustrating. Eudora allows you to use nicknames to store e-mail addresses. You can title one nickname "Mom," instead of typing mother@home.com every time you want to send her e-mail. Nicknames are available through the main pulldown menu.

Exchange also has an address book that is accessible through the To: button on a new message, or through the open-book icon on the toolbar. The Address Book is also available under the Tools menu and allows you to record e-mail addresses and phone and fax numbers.

To add new people to either program's address book, select New and type in the appropriate address.

You can also form your own mailing lists by creating a nickname or an alias for a group of people.

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Is there a way to file my mail?

Eudora allows you many options, including a filing system, appropriately named Mailboxes, that helps organize your e-mail. Nobody wants to have an inbox of 800 messages. To set this up in Eudora, go into Mailboxes through the Tools menu, click on New, and select a title that will reflect the contents. After reading a message, click Transfer, go down to the appropriate folder and voila, instant organization.

In Exchange, you place messages into folders by dragging them to the appropriate folder or by using the Move Item icon, which then presents you with storage location options. You can set up Exchange to display these folders to the left of your messages, which is handy.

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Use your head
Don't create too many folders. Otherwise, you'll lose messages that you file. Instead, adopt a simple message filing system and stick to it. At the end of each year, create a new set of folders. Take the last year's folders and put a copy on a floppy disk. This way, if you change e-mail providers (or jobs), you won't lose all of your messages.
Can I forward mail?

Most e-mail applications allow you to do so. It's just a matter of choosing Forward (under the Message menu in Eudora or the Compose menu in Exchange) and entering the recipient in the To: field.

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Can I forward mail to myself at another address?

If you want to forward all incoming messages to yourself at a different address, you can change the POP account in your e-mail program to forward the message to the address you'd like. This feature is not yet available in Eudora. However, in Exchange, you can go to Options under the Tools menu. Click on the Services tab and select Internet Mail. In the dialogue box that pops up, click on Advanced Options and enter the forwarding address in the field. You can also use a Unix .forward (pronounced "dot forward") file to accomplish the same thing.

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How do I attach a file?

Attachments are a key element of e-mail. You may need to send a graphic, document, or multimedia file to someone. By attaching the object to a message, you can get it to your recipient almost as fast as a plain text message. Although sometimes, memory-hogging multimedia files take much longer.

In Eudora, the Attach File feature is under the Message menu. After you select it, you need to locate your file and select it. In Exchange, the function is called Insert File, activated by either the paper clip icon or File under the Insert menu. Also, you cannot attach a file that is open in another application, so you must save and close it before attaching.

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Attach this rule to your mind
The rule of attaching is that you can send anything, as long as it's under 50 kilobytes. If you break this rule, you risk having your file returned to you, separated into two different messages, or deemed undeliverable.
Is attaching a text file different from attaching a multimedia file?

Not that you can see. But within the computer, things are different. Because multimedia can't be sent over the Internet as is, a system known as "uuencoding" translates the data into characters that can be sent over the Net. "Uudecode" converts the data back into readable information. Programs such as MIME and BinHex do almost the same thing.

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How will I know if I have an attachment?

In Eudora, under the title and addressing options (To:, From:, cc:, bcc:), there will be a line notifying you of any attachment. If you receive an attachment, look in Eudora's Attachments folder, that should be in the actual application folder.

In Exchange, an icon appears within the body of the message. You simply double-click on it to open the attachment.

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Can I send a fax through e-mail?

It depends on your mail program and service provider. Some, such as AOL and CompuServe, offer faxing service. You can also use resources online, such as The Phone Company.

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How do I get my e-mail when I'm on vacation or away from my computer?

If you're going to be away from your computer for awhile, you can use automatic forwarding to get your messages from another location. For more on remote e-mail usage, see Can I forward mail to myself at another address? or consult E-mail, Whether Near or Far by Kate Gerwig.

Another feature to check out for e-mail absences, if your e-mail package offers it, is scheduled delivery. This allows you to write a message to someone and arrange to have it delivered at some future time.

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Is there a way to let people know I'm on vacation?

Programs called robots will send out a prewritten message to anyone who sends mail to you while you're gone. Many are available online as freeware or shareware.

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Use your robots well
Be careful, because using a robot with a mailing list, is not very effective--think of how much mail you get every day from those lists. Setting up a robot to send an automated response to every message in a high volume mailing list will make you very unpopular.
Can I access Internet e-mail when I'm not connected?

Yes, through the use of an offline reader, which allows you to deal with your mail without being connected. Copies of messages are stored on your computer, as opposed to the machine that hosts your mail. An offline reader can be helpful if you are charged by the minute for your Internet service. You can also compose e-mail offline and connect only to send it.

In addition, if you can't take the occasional 15 minutes to find a telephone and jack-in, or if you need to get your e-mail from your car and don't want to pay the high price of a cellular telephone, RadioMail can help.

With RadioMail, your laptop or palmtop computer is equipped with a two-way radio modem that communicates with the ARDIS network over a special radio frequency. ARDIS is a system of radio towers and data lines that covers more than 80 percent of the population and 90 percent of the business activity in the United States.

RadioMail is available for users of most popular PC mail applications, including cc:Mail, as well as for palmtop computers such as the Apple Newton and the Motorola Envoy.

RadioMail Corp. also offers a RadioMail/fax gateway, which allows RadioMail customers to have messages delivered to any fax machine in the world, a headline news service called NewsFactory, and a RadioCall-In Service, which allows noncomputer users to send mail to RadioMail customers by calling a toll-free number and speaking with an operator.

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How can I create a signature?

To personalize your messages, you can end each one with a signature. In Eudora, you'll find it under the Tools menu. Simply enter whatever you want and presto chango, you're official. A pulldown menu allows you to use the signature only on certain messages. In the full version of Exchange, you can use an auto signature to do this, but not in the version that ships with Windows 95, which we are using as an example.

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Quality over quantity
Keep your signature short, as long ones will increase the time it takes a message to download. One of the unwritten rules of e-mail is to keep your signature to four lines or less, to prevent readers from getting bored.
Can I give my messages priority?

You can attach a level of importance to each message to make the message stand out, show up at the top of the recipient's mailbox, and often travel faster, depending on the application. Eudora gives you a range priority from "highest" to "lowest." Exchange gives you a choice between nothing, an exclamation point for high importance, or a down arrow to signify low importance.

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Do I have any control over the messages that people send me?

Yes you do. Filters are a cool way to keep junk mail from making its way to your inbox ... or cutting off cyberstalkers at the knees. And many are available online at no charge.

Most filters available today are based on the principle of text matching. You specify a set of rules, or filters, which are executed each time a message is received. Most programs that offer filtering allow you to specify rules triggered when a certain piece of text occurs or does not occur in a given header. Some systems also let you do keyword scans through the entire document, or filter based on the document's length.

For example, if you are being harassed electronically, you can set up a filter that automatically routes all e-mail from the sender into your trash box, without ever displaying it on the screen. If you are on a mailing list that sends out company bulletins, you might have them automatically filed into their own mailbox.

If you use filters, it's important not to filter your incoming mail so well that you miss important messages. Some programs, such as Eudora, try to alleviate this danger by underlining the names of any mailboxes that contain unread messages.

In the full version of Exchange, filter functions are called Inbox Assistants. They work just like most filters, separating messages based on keywords.

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Take the high road
If somebody sends you a flame, don't make things worse. If you feel compelled to send mail back to the flamer, send it only to him or her; don't bother that person's associates or other people on the mailing list.
How can I avoid viruses, harassment, and forgery?

The bottom line is that sometimes such things are unavoidable. Viruses can strike any online computer at any time, so you have to just use common sense. Don't download any old thing--make sure you know a little something about the source.

Experiencing online harassment is a fact of Net life. However, ways do exist to keep potential harassers at bay. For more on this, check out our sections on newsgroups and chatting.

Forgery is also something you don't have complete control over. Precautions include never leaving your e-mail program open when you aren't at your computer and using an alias when you participate in newsgroups.

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Written by M. Trouble Sample, with contributions from Simson Garfinkel and Steve Michel.

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