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Using Email
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What
you need…
As already stated, you will need an email client (program). You will
also need an email account with your Internet service provider (most ISP's provide this
automatically).
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Who you
are on the web
An email account is created for you automatically when you join an
ISP. Your email address is created from the user name that you supplied when registering
and the domain name of the service provider. So somebody who registered as "joe"
on Namaste Cafe's domain of "namastecafe.com" would have an email address of
joe@namastecafe.com
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Addresses
To send email over the internet, one has to know the receiving party's address. You have
to be extra careful in typing in the recipient's address as the slightest mistake in
syntax will result in the message not reaching its intended destination. This applies to
the case of letters as well. Addresses ARE case sensitive!
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Header fields
Email programs usually include the following header fields:
To:
From:
Cc:
Bcc:
Subject:
Attachments:
Each field has its own unique function…
- the "To" field contains the
recipient's email address;
- the "From" field has your email
address (or a label, depending on your email program);
- the "Cc" field is for sending a
"carbon copy" (copies sent to other people besides the original intended
recipient);
- the "Bcc" field is a "blind carbon
copy" - works the same as "Cc" field except that the recipient in the
"To" field is unaware that a carbon copy has been sent. And
the recipient's e-mail addresses stay private from other internet users.
- the "Subject" field is a brief title
you use to give the recipient an idea of the content of the email message;
- the "Attachment" field shows what files
you have attached to your email.
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Attachments
Attachments allow you to send a document created in another package (e.g. a graphic, a
word processor or a spread sheet document). So you can send anybody anywhere in the world
who has the same software package a document that you created at the cost of a local phone
call. Bye-bye fax machines…..
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Netiquette
As a new citizen of cyberspace, one should always follow the old axiom of "When in
Rome, do as the Romans do." Here are some basic guidelines to help you with net
etiquette (called "netiquette" for obvious reasons!)
Always remember the human factor. The most important thing to remember is that there is
always another person at the end of any email message that you send. So it never hurts to
be polite and courteous when sending an email.
The last control you have over any email message you send is just before you press the
send and receive button. Once sent, there is nothing you can do to prevent that email from
reaching the intended recipient. Also, the person on the other side now has a copy of your
message. There is nothing stopping that person from forwarding or redistributing something
that you wrote in anger or might have intended for one person's eyes only.
Email, under United States law, is considered to be a form of publishing. So be extra
careful before saying anything derogatory about a person or a company. You can be sued!
For more info on this topic click here.
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Emoticons
When people communicate with each other face to face, they use body language, facial
expressions and tone of voice to add meaning to their spoken words. In this way it is easy
for one person to determine whether another person is happy, sad, sarcastic, angry or
whatever. When communicating through a text only medium like email, some newsgroups and
chat servers, this valuable interface of communication is removed. People quickly found a
way to try and bridge this gap through the use of emoticons. Here are some examples:
: ) Smiling face
: ( Sad face
; ) Winking
: o Surprise
: D Laugh
Try this link
for a more comprehensive list.
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Abbreviations
Our intrepid communicators, either through laziness or being born with only two typing
fingers, found very economical ways of typing commonly used phrases. Here follow some
TLA's and ETLA's:
BTW: By the way.
IMHO: In my humble opinion.
TTFN: Ta ta for now.
BRB: Be right back.
TGIF: Thank God its Friday
TLA: Three letter acronym
ETLA: Extended three letter acronym
For a longer list, try this link.
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