Electronic mail
Electronic mail
E-mail allows you to exchange messages with computer users both locally and around the world.
E-mail is basically a medium for plain text, but through the use of encoded attachments it can also handle word-processing documents, images, music, etc.
It also, unfortunately, can handle junk mail and viruses.
What is the difference between ‘the e-mail’ and ‘an e-mail’?
You use an e-mail client programme to send messages to, and receive messages from, an e-mail server. The server sends messages to, and receives messages from, other e-mail servers on the Internet.
A message to a particular address may pass through several
servers on its way.
There are two different e-mail protocols that the server can use to handle your messages.
Using the older POP e-mail protocol, all of your messages are transferred at once to whichever computer you're using to read your mail, and they are then removed from the server. If you want to keep them you have to save them locally, which can be messy if you read your e-mail from more than one location.
Using the more powerful IMAP e-mail protocol, when you read a new message, a copy is sent to you but the message is retained on the server. Messages that you want to save can easily be organized into multiple ‘folders’ on the server, and from there they can be reread from anywhere. (Some IMAP clients permit you to download all of your messages at once, if you want to minimize your connect time.)
As messages accumulate, you will sooner or later need to remove some from the server in order to avoid exceeding the available disk storage. You will receive a warning before your allowed space has filled up. Old messages that you want to keep can, for example, be moved into mail folders on the hard disk of your home computer, or be saved into text files and copied to diskettes.
It's recommended that you make your own copies of important messages, rather than relying on backups of information on the server.
You will have to tell the e-mail client programme
If you're using an e-mail client on a computer which is also used by others:
Plain e-mail messages are plain text, with no bold, italics, graphics, etc. Keep line lengths to about 70 characters.
Avoid sending messages as HTML unless you're really making good use of the formatting or linking features. Some people won't be able to see the formatting or use the links.
Make sure your e-mail software is not automatically sending HTML copies
of all messages.
Turn off sending of HTML, RTF, etc. (instructions)
Reasons:
There are ways to send word-processing files, images, etc., as ‘attachments’, but many people still have trouble reading them. Always make sure that the recipient has the appropriate software, and knows how to use it, before sending an attachment.
Be judicious about sending large attachments, i.e., more than 50-100 kbytes. For very large files, an alternative is to use FTP if you have access to an FTP server, or an on-line storage service.
Be very cautious about opening attachments other than regular images
(e.g., .gif, .jpg and .png).
Always include a subject line which will be meaningful to the recipient.
When sending a message on a new topic, don't put Re: at the beginning of the subject line. By convention, Re: denotes a reply to a previous message, and it (or something similar) is added automatically by most e-mail software when sending a reply.
When replying to a message, don't specify a new subject line. Use the default Re: subject line.
In general it's better to send separate e-mail messages for different topics. It makes it easier for you and the recipient to keep the messages organized and to keep track of replies.
Include your name and e-mail address in your messages.
Even though they automatically appear in the header of the
message, some people won't
see them there, or will see the wrong thing.
This is especially important if your e-mail address does not clearly identify you, as with many Hotmail addresses, for example.
Most e-mail software offers you a way of defining a standard ‘signature’ which can contain your e-mail address, telephone number, etc.
/|_
/ ,\
.-' _,'
hjw / _ |
/ )_ |
,=='`.____)_)
|
| Flump |
Don't include too much fluff in your signature text.
Though
some might disagree.
Most e-mail software allows you to automatically send a copy of an outgoing message to yourself, or to save a copy in a special folder. It's a good idea in case the message gets lost, or you just need to refer to it later.
When replying to a message, it's a good idea to include at least some of the text of the original message, flagged in some way, in case the person who sent it has forgotten the details. Don't, however, slavishly include reams of stuff that has nothing to do with your reply.
| > Hi, how are you? Fine, thanks. > Where do you want > to go tonight? Let's go to the movies |
Turn on flagging of original message when replying.
Long blocks of text can be hard to read in an e-mail client.
If you're being hassled by spam (junk e-mail) join the club!
According to one report, in 2004 Q4, spam constituted about half of the e-mail messages received by Canadians.
About 87 percent of all e-mail to McGill accounts is spam.
(From report to Senate, 2005 Mar 2)
Things you can do:
Complain to the spammer's Internet Service Provider, or to the system administrator whose server unwittingly distributed the spam.
Received: lines in the
full header.
Received: line outside your local network.
abuse
or postmaster at the real domain name.
If you complain to a spammer who has not bothered to disguise their address, they'll just confirm your e-mail address on their list of addresses to spam.
Similarly, following any unsubscribe instructions in spam will just confirm that your address is valid.
Don't mail-bomb in retaliation.
Be cool :-) and remember how easy it is to misinterpret
written messages :-(
Never immediately answer a message in anger - wait a while to cool off,
and make sure you've interpreted the message properly.
[Quotation from Milton, Samson Agonistes]
Carefully check the list of recipients before you send off a
message, especially when making a reply.
It's very embarrassing to
find that you've just sent a love letter to 10,000 people, or juicy
gossip to the whole department.
[Quotation from a nursery rhyme, quoted by W.E. Norris in Thirlby Hall]
Be circumspect about what you put into an e-mail message, remembering how easy it is for it to go astray, and don't assume that e-mail is secure.
When you first get your account, you should reset your e-mail password as soon as possible, and you should change it occasionally after that. You'll also have to change the password in your e-mail client if it's stored there.
Keep your password private. Here are some tips for good passwords.
Beware of viruses! Computer viruses can be transmitted via e-mail, in attachments. Don't open any attachment unless you know whom it's from and what it is. Before opening any Microsoft Word document, make sure Macros are disabled.
Here is some further information about viruses and how to avoid them.
The content of this page has not been seriously updated since 2007.
Last modified: 2020-05-16 13:16:51