Online Email is a Great Way to Communicate with Family and Friends

Many people buy a computer simply because they know that if they wish to communicate with their family they need to make friends with this new technology. I say good for them because embracing something as big as computer technology at any age is a daunting task.

Simply learning to use email is a good place to start for most people and then they can move on from there to bigger and better things.

What is Email?

Email is a system used by computers to send and receive text messages over the internet from one computer to another.

Why use Email?

• Cheaper and faster than a letter
• Less intrusive than a phone call
• Less hassle than a fax
• Time zone differences are no obstacle to communication
• Send photos on the day you take them
• Keep right up to date and in touch with family and friends

There are two ways you can use email on your computer. One is with your own email software such as Outlook Express where you get an email address from your ISP (Internet Service Provider). You then set up your email account in Outlook Express and your emails are sent and delivered from your own computer. The second is web based email where you sign up for an email account (usually free) from somewhere like Google (Gmail), Yahoo or Live MSN (hotmail). You send and receive your email on the web through your browser (e.g. Internet Explorer) and your messages are not downloaded to your computer. You can access your emails from the server on the web on any computer, anywhere with both methods.

Important things you need to be aware of when using email:

• Email does not convey emotions nearly as well as face to face telephone conversation. It is difficult for the recipient (person receiving your email) to tell if you are serious, kidding, happy, sad, frustrated or euphoric. Avoid sarcasm altogether or you will really get yourself in trouble. You can use emoticons but use them sparingly because they can become a nuisance as well.
• Try not to write an epic unless you know the person you are sending to really likes your letters.
• Don’t use all capitals. In email this is considered to be SHOUTING!
• If someone sends you an upsetting email give yourself a day to think about it before you respond. Believe me, you’ll thank me for this advice.
• Don’t use abbreviations as many people do not understand them.
• Remember that everything you write can be forwarded on to someone else so don’t say anything about anyone that could get you into trouble.
• Use your subject line to give the recipient an idea of who is sending the email and what it is about. People delete emails without even reading them these days because of Spam (emails you did not request usually trying to sell you something). Example of a suitable subject line. “Hi Mary, Susanne here from Melbourne about your birthday party”.
• Don’t send on chain letters, jokes, virus warnings or junk mail. Every time one of your friends sends a joke to all their friends unless they hide their email addresses in the BCC (blind copy) field they are spreading your email address across the internet for all to use at will. If one of your friends are doing this to you politely ask them to stop.
• Educate yourself about online email issues such as phishing, spam, internet scams and dangers so you don’t make any mistakes you will live to regret.

Want to know all the basics about Email to get you started?

Click on this link and you'll be emailing family and friends like a pro in no time!

All About Email

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