Helen M. Plum Memorial Library Computer Classes for Beginners Email Basics

1. Helen M. Plum Memorial LibraryComputer Classes for BeginnersEmail Basics

3. Top Web-Based Email Providers Yahoo 250MB free (45% of email traffic, July 2003) Hotmail 250MB free (42% of email traffic, July 2003) Netscape 250MB free (AOL, Compuserve) Gmail 1GB free (Google beta testing – waiting list)

4. Types of Email Programs Email client programs Outlook Express, Outlook, Eudora, Mozilla Thunderbird ISP email programs AOL, Earthlink, Netzero Web-based Other Types of E-mail Instant Messaging Personal Digital Assistants (PDAs) Two-Way Text Pagers Cell Phones

5. Web Email Advantages: Freedom of movement Easy to use Free Always available Disadvantages: Limited storage space for messages. No offline access to your email.

7. Email Security Whenever you receive or send email, you risk catching and spreading a computer virus. Viruses can damage your computer. Email attachments are the most common form of virus transportation. If you open an infected file, there is a good chance of catching the bug. Never open an attachment unless you know the sender. Install virus and spyware detection software.

8. Phishing Phishing attacks use 'spoofed' e-mails and fraudulent websites designed to fool recipients into divulging personal financial data such as credit card numbers, account usernames and passwords, social security numbers, etc. By hijacking the trusted brands of well-known banks, online retailers and credit card companies, phishers are able to convince up to 5% of recipients to respond to them. The brands most commonly hijacked are, in order: Citibank, USBank, eBay, PayPal, and AOL. Phishing resource: http://www.antiphishing.org/

9. Protect yourself from Computer Crime

10. E-mail in Four Parts The Address The Attachment The Subject Line The Body

11. Anatomy of an Email Address General format An email address usually consists of 2 elements:  name@company.organization code.country code   Examples of email addresses for people in the United States:  curtstacey@gmail.com (United States is implied) cstacey@plum.lib.il.us   Examples of email addresses for someone outside the United States:  linda@yahoo.com.de linda@yahoo.com.uk

12. Addressing Your Email Message When Sending Email: Write recipients email address every time you send a message. Use an electronic address book. Use Cc (carbon copy) or Bcc (blind carbon copy.) Use group lists. Addresses are automatically entered when replying to messages.

13. Sending Attachments with Care Before attaching a document, consider its appropriateness: Can your reader’s email system accommodate the attachment Is the recipient allowed to open attachments Generate reader interest in the attachment Compress extremely large files Attach first, write second

14. Writing Good Subject Lines State your message clearly, concisely, and descriptively. Consider your primary audience when writing the subject line. Steer clear of subject lines commonly used for viruses, spam, or junk.

15. Laboratory