1. electronic mail (e-mail) - pearson...

Electronic Mail

Electronic Mail Page 33

1. Electronic Mail (E-Mail)

As well as the wide accceptance of the World Wide Web (WWW),there has been a quiet revolution happening with another internetapplication—electronic mail (E-mail). This probably has been themost successful of all the internet applications. In fact, electronic mailwas well established before the wide usage of the internet driven by theWWW. Many organisations used e-mail extensively for businesscommunications, particularly within the organisation. It was only afterthe internet was well established and the protocols associated withinternet mail (SMTP, MIME, POP, IMAP) became internationalstandards, did e-mail really take off.

E-Mail is a clinet/server application that is used to send text messages.When you send an e-mail message, it is sent from your computer to amail server. Your e-mail server then sends the message to the e-mailrecipient's e-mail server and then on to the e-mail recipient when he orshe next logs onto the e-mail system.

Many of the activities that have become popular through e-mail usageare now widely established. Some of these include the ability to readand compose memo-like messages, create address lists and groups tosend bulk e-mail, attach send and receive other files along with ane-mail message, manage personal mail boxes and apply filters and sorts.

E-Mail, How itWorks

Sender Sender 's E-Mai l Server

Internet

ReceiverReceiver 's E-Mai l Server

S M T P / M I M E

S M T P / M I M E

S M T P / M I M E

POP or IMAP

IPS!TE-MAIL

PROTOCOLSThere are a series of E-Mailprotocols (established set ofrules needed to undertake acommunication):

SMTP:Used for outgoing mail

MIME:Used for attachments

POP:Used for incoming mail

IMAP:Used for incoming mail

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Page 34 Electronic Mail

E-mail software that is capable of these activities is widely available.This software can be divided into two types—the localised client basedsoftware such as Outlook Express, Eudora and Netscape'sMessenger and the web server based software such as MSN andhotmail.

Electronic Mail

Electronic Mail 5

Microsoft's Outlook Express is the mainstay e-mail software providedby Microsoft. It is a client based e-mail software with sophisticatede-mail capabilities. It is also the e-mail component of the Outlookpackage that is used in Microsoft's Office suite of programs.

1. Click the button.

2. Select Programs then the button.

The Outlook Express window opens up with a number of differentsub-sections available:

Note: Your window might look different to the settings shownhere. You can achieve the same by selecting the menuoptions View --> Layout... and then selecting all theoptions except Outlook Bar and Views Bar.

2. Outlook Express

OutlookBar

Toolbar

ContactsBar

Menus

FolderBar

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Outlook Express supplies you with a series of Local Folders withwhich to operate a mail box. This is generally used for messages andmessage archiving. With Outlook Express there is also an external e-mail account that has been set up on a mail server with an associatedmailbox and folders (Here it is called Microsoft Mail Server). This isthe area through which most of your messages will be received and sent.

3. Click the Inbox icon for the Microsoft Mail Server.

This will then show you the mail messages that are in your mail account:

AccessingE-Mail

Messages

ReadingE-Mail

Messages

LocalE-Mail

Folders

ExternalE-MailFolders

List ofE-Mail

Messages

Body ofselectedE-Mail

Message

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IPS!TE-MAILFIELDS

The Outlook Express Inboxfields include:

Priority MessageAttachmentFlag

By clicking on the field titles,messages can be sorted ineach of these field orders.

Toolbar

E-Mail MessageField Information

Body of E-Mail Message

This shows a list of messages in the top window showing the sender, abrief subject header and the date and time it was received. Messagesthat haven't been read are indicated with bold type and a closedenvelope icon .

4. Click on one of the unread messages.

Now you should see a different message fill the bottom previewwindow.

5. Double the same message.-click

This time a separate e-mail message window opens up similar to thefollowing:

From this window it is possible to achieve a number of tasks:

Reply to the sender of the message. Outlook automaticallycomposes a return message to the sender.

Reply to the sender and all of the recipient's of the message.Outlook automatically composes a return message.

Send the message onto others.

Print the current message.

Electronic Mail


Delete the current message.

Go to the previous message.

Go to the next message.

Look up the address book.

We will look at all of these activities in reading and composing newmessages.

6. Click the button to close the e-mail window.

A task that is essential to an e-mail activity is the ability to create a newe-mail message and send it on. Outlook Express provides all of thetools to enable this fundamental activity.

7. Click the button to open up the new message

window.

ComposingE-Mail

Messages

Body of MessageRecipient's E-MailAddress goes here

Carbon Copy Recipient'sE-Mail Address goes hereBrief description of

message content

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You will need to know some e-mail addresses to be able to send newmessages. Most e-mail addresses follow the format:

[email protected]

Some examples include:[email protected], [email protected],[email protected], [email protected]

8. Click into the field.

9. Type an e-mail address of a colleague or friend in theformat described above.


11. Type your e-mail address in the format described above.

This should send a copy of the e-mail message back to yourself.


13. Type First Test Message into this field.

14. Click into the body of the message window.

15. Type the following short piece of text:

Hi, <Name> this is my first attempt at creatingan e-mail message - please ignore.

<Your Name>

IPS!TE-MAIL

ADDRESSES

E-Mail addresses use manyorganisation type codesand country codes. Someare:

Organisation Type

com commercialorg organisationedu educationnet networkmil militarygov government

Country Code

au Australiajp Japanuk United Kingdomno code USA

Electronic Mail


16. Click the button to deliver the message.

The message will now be delivered to the e-mail server and then fromthere to the recipient's mail boxes. This might take a little time. Thee-mail server will deliver the message to you in due time, but OutlookExpress allows you to receive the message when you are ready.


18. Click <Your Name> and the message contents will showup in the Preview Window underneath.

19. Double- <Your Name> and all the message contents willclick show up in a separate window.

20. Click the button when you have finished checking themessage.

Now try a message that is a bit more ambituous—a message thatincludes graphics, a file attachment, and a priority setting.


22. Type the TO:, CC: and Subject: detail again but this timetype in the following text within the body of themessage:

Hi, <Name> again. This message is my secondattempt at creating a more sophisticated e-mailmessage - please ignore.

<Your Name>

ReceivingE-Mail

Messages

Sender Subject

Date and Time ofReceipt

Envelope IconIndicatingUnreadStatus

ComplexE-Mail

Messages

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23. Double- the word second.click





28. Select a different colour for the text by clicking the drop down arrow and choosing from the range ofcolours presented.

29. Click at the end of the text after the sign off.

30. Press the <ENTER> key twice.

31. Click the horizontal line button.

32. Press the <ENTER> key twice.

33. Click the insert picture button.

34. Click the button and find a picture to includefrom anywhere on your hard disk.

35. Select your name at the bottom of your e-mail message.

36. Click the drop down arrow in the font text box.

37. Select a font of your choice.

38. Click the drop down arrow in the size text box.

39. Select an 18 point font size for your signature.

40. Click on the button.

IPS!TPERSONALSIGNATURE

Outlook Express allows youto set up your own signaturethat can be used repeatedly:

1. Click Options from theTools menu.

2. Click the Signaturestab.

3. To create a signature,click the New button.

and then either,

4. Enter text in the EditSignature box

or

5. Click File, and thenfind the text or HTMLfile you'd like to use.

To use the signature:

6. Click the when

you are composing anew message to addyour signature.

AttachingFiles

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41. Select a shortcut file from your desktop.


The resulting message should look something like this:

Picture Insert

Horizontal LineInsert

Reference toAttached File

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The final task is to decrease the priority of this test message.


44. Select Low Priority from the drop down mini menu.


Once messages have been read they are often not needed but do takeup space in the mailbox. These messages need to be deleted.

46. Select the First Message that you sent yourself from themessage window.


The message item now appears with a line through it and a deleted icon

next to it. This has marked the message for

deletion. This marking will stay there in case you change your mind laterand want to revive it. If you do, then undeleting is available.

48. Select the deleted First Message.

49. Right- to open up the context-sensitive dialog box.click

50. Select the option.

The First Message reverts to a read message.

DeletingMessages

UndeletingMessages

Electronic Mail


To permanently get rid of all messages marked for deletion—purging isrequired.

51. Click the button in the toolbar.

You will notice that any messages marked for deletion will be expelled.

Most of the activities so far have been concerned with creating andsending the actual messages. This ability is exciting when undertaken forthe first time but can quickly become quite onorous if there isn't a way toorganise some of the great number of received messages—the usefuland the junk mail. Outlook Express has the option to create andorganise folders to place and direct received messages.

Our first task will be to create a Test folder on the Mail Server.After that we will move the two test messages into this folder for easyaccess in the future.

52. Click on the Mail Server icon within the Folder Bar.

53. Select File --> Folder --> New... from the menus.

54. Type Test into the Folder name: text box.


PurgingMessages

E-MailFolders

Electronic Mail


Now to move the two test messages into this new folder, but first let'ssort the messages into recipient order to find them easily:

56. Click the From field title button above the messages inthe message window.

The messages will now appear in sender order. Your two testmessages should be together under your name.

Note: You might need to scroll down a bit to find them.

NewTestFolder

Fromfieldtitlebutton

In Sender order

Electronic Mail


57. Click on the First Test Message.

58. Press the <Ctrl> key on the keyboard keeping itdepressed.

59. Click on the Second Test Message.

Both should be selected at the same time.

60. Right- to open the context-sensitive menu.click

61. Select Move to Folder... .

62. Select the Test folder.


The two messages in your inbox now appear marked for deletion andshould have been copied to the Test folder. Let's check!

64. Click on the Test folder in the Folders Bar.

Only the two messages should be there.

IPS!TSYNCHRONIZE

It is possible to work offline–you can read and respond toe-mail messages when youare not connected to yourISP.

Your server-based mailaccount will synchronize themail on your computer withthe server.

Synchronization can happenautomatically when youconnect to the server throughyour ISP or, manually using

the

button at the top of theServer's Folder window

Electronic Mail


Electronic mail is a very useful application for creating and sendingindividual messages. Messages can be sent, received, deleted andorganised. But what happens when you have a need to send onemessage to many recipients? Would you create and send individual e-mail messages to each of the intended recipients? This would be atedious task if the list is even slightly large. Mail packages such asOutlook Express have the ability to create references to other mail usersby storing and organising e-mail addresses into address books. Theseaddress books can then be used to create named groups of users. Thegroups then can be used to send bulke-mail messages to many users at once.

Outlook Express's Address Book is closely tied in with otherMicrosoft products such as Word and Access. It is a feature that canbe accessed from Outlook Express and other packages and is used tostore contact information.

65. Open Outlook Express.



68. Select New Contact... .

AddressBook

Address BookToolbar

Contacts

VariousContactDetails

Electronic Mail


69. Click into the First: text box.

70. Type Joe

71. Click into the Last: text box.

72. Type Bloggs

73. Click into the Title: text box.

74. Type Mr.

75. Click on the Display: drop down

76. Select Bloggs Joe

77. Click into the Nickname: text box.

78. Type Bloggsie

79. Click into the E-Mail Addresses: text box.

80. Type [email protected]


New ContactTab Options

Basic Name Details

E-Mail Address Details

IPS!TOTHER

CONTACTDETAILS

There are a number of fill-indetails that can be includedwith the simple name detailsfor a new contact. To accessthese you need to:

1. Click one of the tabsat the top of thedialog box.

e.g.

2. Fill-in the form thatappears with thedetails needed.

3. Keep clicking tabs andfilling-in details for anyremaining informationthat is to be stored.

Electronic Mail



83. Add five more contacts in the same fashion as listedbelow:

First Last Title Nickname E-Mail Address

Sue Harvey Ms. Sue [email protected]

Sal Omar Dr. Sal [email protected]

Chris Tinkles Mr. Tinks [email protected]

Andrea Justinou Mrs. Justy [email protected]

Peter Frost Mr. Frosty [email protected]

Note: These are fictious contacts. You can replace them withfive contacts of your own.

Each of these new contacts will one by one appear within your contactslist. They can now be used to send e-mail messages without needing toremember complex e-mail addresses. Lets' try this now.

84. Click the button to close the contacts window.

Electronic Mail


85. Click the to open the new mail dialogue

window.

86. Click the button next to the To: text box.

This opens up the Contacts list that will include the new contacts thatyou have added.

87. Select the Bloggs Joe entry (You might need to scrolldown the list first to find him).


89. Select the Harvey Sue entry (You might need to scrolldown the list first to find her).



IPS!TBCC:

The BCC: field stands forBlind Carbon Copy. Thisallows you to send youre-mail to a recipient withoutletting the other recipients onthe TO: and CC: listsknowing.

Electronic Mail


This effort has resulted in automatically placing the addresses of the twocontacts into the appropriate e-mail text boxes.

The rest of the message can now be filled out and sent:

92. Click the Subject text box.

93. Type Third Test Message

94. Select the body of the e-mail message.

95. Type Third test message - please ignore


Sending e-mail to large numbers of recipients can be achieved by settingup e-mail groups from the contacts list you have already created. Forexample you might like to send a party invitiation to all your friends;creating a group called friends and writing only one e-mail message willenable you to send a copy of this message to all of them at the sametime.



99. Select the New Group... option from the drop down list.

100. Select the Group Name: text box.

101. Type Friends


103. Select the Bloggs Joe from the list.


CreatingE-Mail

Groups

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105. Select the Harvey Sue from the list.


107. Select the Frost Peter from the list.



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110. Click the button again to create the Friendsgroup.

111. Click the button for the contacts dialogue window.

You now can use this group to send the party invitation e-mail to thesethree friends.

112. Click the of the button.

This gives you a choice of the type of pre-formatted e-mail message youwish to send.

113. Select Party Invitation .


115. Select from the list.

Note: Groups use a different icon and are bold so that they canstand out.

CreatingGroupE-Mail

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118. Select the Subject text box.

119. Type Party Time!!! .

120. Click next to the Day: text in the body of the e-mailmessage.

121. Type Saturday

122. Click next to the Time: text in the body of the e-mailmessage.

123. Type 10 PM

124. Click next to the Place: text in the body of the e-mailmessage.

125. Type 25 Myrtle St., Footscray

Electronic Mail



127. Click the Outlook Express button.

There are many other features built into Outlook Express that are notcovered in this short tutorial. As you become more familiar withOutlook these features will be relatively easy to pick up.

Electronic Mail


An alternative to using client based E-mail packages is to use Web based E-mail software.

1. Open a the Internet Explorer web browser.

2. Type www.msn.com.au into the URL address box.

This brings you to a welcome screen:

3. Click on the tab.

This will bring you to the Hotmail web based e-mail system.

4. Click on the link.

Use this page to find out about Hotmail and its capabilities.

5. Close the Internet Explorer browser window.

Develop Your Skills 6

IP Addresses

Times in milliseconds

Electronic Mail



2. Click on one of the messages in the message window.


4. Type the text Thanks for this Information.

5. Click the button to send off the reply.


This time the address fields are empty.

7. Type <Your Name> into the field.

8. Click into the blank reply area and type Check this out! .

9. Click the button to forward the message to yourself.

10. Close the Outlook Express window.


Times in milliseconds

Blank Area in whichto type your reply

OriginalMessage

Addressing Details of Original Sender

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2. Create a new Holiday Letter message that looks like this:

3. Click the button. What does this do?

4. Attach a file of your choosing.

5. Insert your Personal Signature by clicking the button. What happens?

6. Click the button. What does this do?




Electronic Mail



2. Click on the Test folder in the Folders bar.

3. Select both Test Messages.

4. Right-click and choose Move to Folder... .

5. Select the Trash folder.

6. Click the button. What happens?

7. Click the Sent Items folder.

8. Select two of the messages there.

9. Right-click and choose Copy to Folder... .

10. Select the Test folder.

11. Click the button. What happens?


Electronic Mail



2. Click on the Address button.

3. Click New --> New Group....

4. Name it Colleagues.

5. Select Sal Omar and Chris Tinkles and the Friends group to be members.

6. Click the button twice.



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