Notes

Outline

Web-Based Email Joy Cichewicz Brighton District Library

Today’s Class What e-mail is Set up an account with a free web-based e-mail service Practice sending and receiving e-mails We will not get into: how to use specific e-mail software advanced aspects and terminology of using e-mail the specifics of getting online (Internet connection, loading software, etc.)

Communicating on the Internet Chat rooms Multiple people can talk at once Real time May require extra software installation Bulletin boards, surveys, web conferencing, “phone” conversations, etc.

What is email? E-mail is short for "electronic mail." E-mail is simply sending and receiving typed notes to and from other people, using a  computer and the Internet network that connects them E-mail itself is only text but you can use email to attach files, such as a digital photo, to a message as an "attachment.”

Why use email? E-mail "letters" or notes are received by the other person within minutes E-mail is cheap (no postage) and lets you correspond with distant friends and relatives at virtually no cost. It is one of THE most popular uses of the Internet. You can send email to a whole group of people at once

To set up a web-based email account for home use: A computer that is connected to the Internet Computer with modem Internet Service Provider with directions or software A web browser (software used to get on the Internet) Internet Explorer comes with all IBM compatible computers Netscape is another popular web browser

At most libraries Computers are already set up with Internet access You don’t have to pay for a computer and Internet access Someone will usually help you if you get stuck You may have some use limitations No attachments/downloading/saving Limited amount of time

Email addresses have: A unique user name – no two email addresses can be alike No spaces An @ sign Service provider

Examples:

Getting an email account Always provided with your ISP account USUALLY available from a web page Many free services are available online if you don’t have home Internet access yahoo mail.com beer.com hotmail.com

How can this service be free? Free service providers are paid for by advertising. Downside – Advertising! Pop-up windows Have to see the ads first Sign up users for “free information” Upside - Free and available from any computer

Creating your account We will use Yahoo Rated as #1 free email service by CNET Gives you a lot of room for storage (6mb) Seldom has spam Easy to use No popups Once you have an account, you can take advantage of all their other services

Let’s get started Turn on your computers Hold down the CTRL and ALT keys with one hand, then touch the DELETE key with the other Press the “enter” key (there is no password) Double click on the

Getting to Yahoo Click in the box to the right of “address” and type yahoo.com then press “enter”

To make an email account: Click on “email”

Click on “Sign up now”

Trying to sell you email…ignore and click on “Sign Me Up!”

Pop Quiz Which statement is true of email addresses: They can be like everyone’s email This address is legitimate: i am great@yahoo.com Each one must be unique This address is legitimate: iamgreat.yahoo.com

Choosing a Password Must be something you can remember Should not be a dictionary word Should be at least 6 characters (some email programs require more than 6)

Finally you get to make your account!  Click in each box before you start typing…

Keep filling out the form

The tricky part!  In the last box, type the word you see in the grid

Now we get to see how many of you chose unique names If you didn’t choose a unique name, Yahoo will tell you It will give you suggestions for other names You must choose one of them or some other one that you can remember If you choose a unique name, your account has been made! Your new email address is:            youruniquename@yahoo.com

Everyone has email! Let’s practice! This is exactly how you get back to your email account later Type yahoo.com in the location bar.  Hit enter. Click on the email icon in the top right hand corner

Go to “Existing Yahoo Users” form. Type in your user name and your password.  Press “enter”.

You are now in your email

Links on your left side bar Inbox = where your incoming messages stay until you delete them or move them Draft = message that you started to write and wanted to come back to Sent = this is where you emails are saved that were sent Trash = Where emails are sent when you delete them.  They stay here until you “empty the trash”

Links at the top of the page Mail = this is where you start upon logging in. Number of emails you have in your inbox Amount of space you have left in your mailbox Advertising Addresses = allows you to save email addresses Calendar = an extra Yahoo feature, an online calendar in which you can keep track of your life Notepad = place to keep “to dos” for yourself Check Mail = reloads the page so you can see new mail that has come in since you logged on Compose = click on this to write an email to someone

Emoticons and computerese Emoticons : ) - happy : ( - sad ; ) - winking :D - laughing :O - surprised

Inbox

A Message

Composing a message

Composing a Message Cc means Carbon Copy – your message will go to other people that you are not the true recipients of the message but you want them to be notified Bcc means Blind Carbon Copy – these are people that you are sending the message to but you don’t want the recipient to know.  Sneaky!

Practice Time Read the email message Yahoo sent you by clicking on “Inbox”, then clicking on the message Delete this message Compose a message to the person sitting next to you and send it Save the address of the message you receive to your address book Reply to your neighbor’s message Open the message Joy sends to all of you Open the attachment that goes with the message

Caution: Virus Protection Email is the number one way of spreading viruses Do not open attachments from people you don’t know Do not open attachments from people you do know unless you are completely sure that it is a legitimate file Anyone who has an Internet connection for any purpose should have an anti-viral program on their computer Any big name antivirus software will work (Norton, Symantec, McAffee) Excellent free antivirus is AVG Antivirus at http://www.grisoft.com/

Caution:  Unscrupulous People Be careful when talking to strangers Do not give them too much information about yourselves: no phone numbers or addresses Inevitably you will receive junk mail offering this, offering that Easy solution is delete! Can block sender so you won’t get anymore Always sign out of your email especially if you are on public computers.

Things to be aware of : When communicating online with a stranger you can not know who they really are! Cartoon courtesy of http://www.ahajokes.com

In this session: You made an email account You used it to: Read email Compose an email Sent email to one and to all Open an attachment You also know some of the thing you need to watch out for

Questions?

The End