Unlocking the Mysteries of Email

(A Basic Introduction to Email)

by Ted & Kathi Bade


About this presentation

This presentation (which was originally done at the Connecticut Library Association Annual Conference on April 6, 1999 at the Radisson Hotel, Cromwell, CT) is intended to help you understand what you can do with email rather than to train you on a specific email program. You can use this presentation as a tutorial by going through the pages in sequence, or use it as a quick reference by going directly to a specific topic.

We created these web pages on a Macintosh computer, and most of the examples we show are from the Macintosh versions of popular email programs. The Windows versions look different, but do the same things.

Here is an explanation of the icons we have used on these pages.

Click on this arrow to return to the previous page

Click on this icon to return to this page.

Click on this arrow to go to the next page

 

This Icon alerts you to a "bright idea" (important information).

This icon alerts you to tips on email etiquette (how to be polite to your fellow correspondents!)

Use the Index below to jump to any page.


1. What is Email?

2. What You Need to Do Email

Internet Access

Telecommunications (A means of connecting to the Internet)

Hardware (A computer)

Email software

3. Setting Up Your Email Account

Your name

Your password

Information about your ISP

Your IP address

Creating multiple accounts

4. Anatomy of an Email Address

General format

Name

Company

Organization code

Country code

5. Sending Email Messages

Addressing a message

Your address book

Sending to multiple addresses

Creating the message

Creating a message with stationery

Creating and using a signature

Sending now vs queuing and sending later

Saving sent email

6. Receiving Email Messages

Checking [downloading] your mail from your usual computer

Checking [downloading] your mail from a different computer

Creating mailboxes (folders)

Getting messages into other mailboxes (transferring and filtering)

Creating filters

7. Replying to Email Messages

Comments

Summary table of options

Reply

Forward

Redirect

Send again

8. Attachments

What is an attachment?

How to send an attachment

Receiving an attachment

Opening an attachment

Common problems opening attachments

 9. Electronic Mailing Lists ("Listservs")

What is an electronic mailing list?

The purpose of an electronic mailing list

How does an electronic mailing list work?

Moderated vs. unmoderated

Handling all that mail

Canceling your subscription

10. Mailbox Maintenance

Good mailbox maintenance

Deleting messages

Organizing messages you have read

Backing up your mail

11. Common Problems

Mail returned

Recipient doesn't receive your message

Strange characters in message

Can't open attachement


 

If you have any comments or suggestions please send email to either Ted or Kathi Bade.

This page is best viewed using Netscape Navigator and was last updated on: 2/13/2000.