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XP

Chapter 9

Sending E-mail and Attachments

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XPSending E-mail and Attachments

• In this Chapter, you will learn:– How E-mail works

– How to send and receive e-mail messages

– What an attachment is

– Whether there are maximum sizes for e-mail messages and attachments

– What smileys, flame wars and spams are

– How to use an e-mail address book

– About local area networks

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XPHow e-mail works

• E-mail is a way of sending an electronic letter.• An electronic letter is called an e-mail message.• E-mail messages can be delivered in minutes and

the same message can be sent to multiple people.• The computer and software you use to send

messages is called an e-mail system.• The “post office” that receives and sends the

messages to the correct address is called an e-mail server.

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XPHow e-mail works

• E-mail server software is used by the e-mail server to create an electronic mailbox for each person.

• The e-mail server sorts and sends messages to other e-mail servers to deliver e-mail to the correct person.

• To use e-mail, you must have e-mail client software and an account with an e-mail server company.

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XPHow e-mail works

• Microsoft Outlook Express (among others) is an e-mail client software package and can manage your e-mail.

• The way e-mail is handled is called a store-and-forward technology. – E-mail server stores messages in your mailbox

– You sign on and request your mail

– The e-mail server forwards your mail to your PC

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XPHow e-mail works

Store-and-forward technology

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XPSending and Receiving E-mail

• To manage your e-mail, you will need to:– Compose or write messages

– Read incoming messages

– Reply or forward messages

• Your new messages will be put into your Inbox by your mail server.

• As you write, reply or forward messages, they are put into your Outbox waiting for you to connect to the mail server.

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XPSending and Receiving E-mail

A typical e-mail message

Menus and toolbar buttons to help in e-mail operations

Header Area

Body of e-mail

Text of original e-mail indicated by “>”

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XPUsing attachments

• E-mail systems handles only unformatted text files.

• You can send formatted text, graphics or virtually any file format by sending it along with an e-mail as an e-mail attachment.

• The receiver of the e-mail can open the attachment if the receiving PC has software that can handle the attachment’s format.

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XPUsing attachments

E-mail with an attachment

Use your software's attach button

Name of the attached file

Body of message should mention attachment

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XPSize Limits for Messages and Attachments

• Some e-mail systems place limits on messages and attachments.

• You should try to keep the size less than 1 MB.• Zip or compression technology can reduce the size

of the file before sending it.• The amount of compression depends on the file

type.• WinZip is a typical zip/unzip software package.

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XPSize Limits for Messages and Attachments

Using WinZip to compress a file

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XPSmileys, Flame Wars and Spams

• E-mail has it’s own shorthand, including a whole array of emoticons or smileys indicating a smile or frown or other emotion.

• There are many other protocols – like typing in all capitals – the equivalent of shouting.

• You can get easily caught up in a flame war – resulting from a series of increasingly nasty or insulting messages flying back and forth.

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XPSmileys, Flame Wars and Spams

• The unwritten code of ethics governing e-mail is called netiguette.

• Flame wars are rude and unproductive use of the Internet.

• Spam mail – unsolicited junk e-mail – is also a bad and irritating use of e-mail.

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XPSmileys, Flame Wars and Spams

• Correct netiguette to follow:– Read and respond to e-mail promptly

– Check your grammar and spelling

– Think before you send a negative or irritating message

– Use smileys to help convey your message

– Don’t reply to all if your message is just to the sender

– Don’t send unnecessary e-mail

– Use Zip to shrink the size of your attachments when appropriate

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XPSmileys, Flame Wars and Spams

Smileys or Emoticons

;-) :-( :-O“Don’t take this seriously”

Unhappy face

Surprise

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

• Many businesses connect their office PCs to each other and the Internet by using a Local Area Network (LAN).

• This connection is always available.• The LAN can provide shared access to many

resources such as software, files, printers and the Internet.

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

• The key elements of a LAN are:– Workstations – usually standard PCs, connected to a

LAN for sharing resources

– A network server – a computer that helps control the resources and provide services to the workstations

– A file server to store data files or software

– A print server to control the attached printers

– An e-mail server to control the mail services

– A hub to connect all of the other devices

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

A typical network setup

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

• LANs usually require a network specialist to install and maintain them.

• For a PC or laptop to connect to a LAN, it must have a network interface card (NIC) – Desktops are connected using a 10Base-T or coaxial

cable

– Notebook computers use PCMCIA cards for easy removal

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

The LAN connection for a desktop

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

The PCMCIA slot LAN connection for a notebook

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

• When you sign onto a LAN, you will need a userid/password to identify yourself.

• The sign on process usually includes a login script to connect you to the network.

• The My Network Places icon (or Network Neighborhood) gives you an overview of the entire network.

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XPHardware – Local Area Networks

My Network Places window

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XPUsing Your E-mail Address Book

The Eudora Light Address Book

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XPWhat do you think?

Just how private is e-mail?

1. Do you think most people believe that their e-mail is private?

2. Do you agree with CalTech’s decision to expel the student who was accused of sending harassing e-mail to another student?

3. Do you think that e-mail should have the same privacy protections as telephone conversations and mail under U.S. laws?

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XPChapter Summary

• You should now be able to:– Create and send an e-mail message.

– Read, reply and forward e-mail messages.

– Zip and attach files to e-mails.

– Understand e-mail netiguette and use smileys.

– Create and use an e-mail address book.

– Understand the basic workings of a LAN.