Module 1: Using Computers, LANs, and Email for Academic Coursework

What is Email?

Email is a relatively simple internet application. In essence, what it does is allow users to send and receive text messages. However, email is not "free". In order to have access to email you need to have a number of computer related communication tools. You need a computer, a connection to the internet, and email software.

The internet is platform independent. In other words, it uses open or common protocols which enables software writers to build email applications for any kind or type of computer. Therefore, you can buy a Macintosh computer, a Compaq computer, or an IBM computer and easily access the internet. Moreover, the speed of the transfer of information over the internet does not rely on the speed of your computer. Instead the speed is relative to the type and speed of your connection to the internet.

The most common method of connecting to the internet is through a modem and an Internet Service Provider (ISP). A modem is a communication device that transforms the digital signals of a computer to the analogue signals of the telephone system and vice versa. In effect, the computer user's modem dials the modem at the ISP and negotiates a connection and a connection speed. At this point the user can begin to transfer data to and from the other system. Many email users access the internet through a local area network (LAN). In this case the user is connected to a system through an Ethernet card and the network provides an email service. In both cases, the user needs to provide both a username and a password to access the service.

In order to send and receive emails the user also needs an application program called an email client. This client is used to write the specific email. Common email clients for computers are "Outlook" and "Eudora" for Windows PCs and "Mail" and "Eudora" for MacIntosh PCs. There are also many network-based email clients. These programs do not exist in the hard disk drive of the user's computer but on a mail server somewhere in the world. Common examples of these clients are "Hotmail" and "Yahoo".

Email applications have a number of features. These include an inbox, which is a space to hold incoming email messages, and an outbox, which is a space to hold outgoing email messages until they are sent. Most have the ability to forward messages to other email users. Again, most have some form of address book that is used to store email addresses. Some of these are capable of building email lists that allow the user to send the same message to all the members of the list.

An email message has a number of common characteristics. The email header normally contains a "To" line into which the user types (or pastes) the internet address of the recipient. The "CC" line is used to type the address of additional users to which the email will be sent. The "Subject" line is a space for the user to identify the main idea of the email message or its importance. In some cases, an email message may be sent to a "BCC" or "blind" CC. This means that the person who receives the message (the addressee in the To: slot) is not aware that (i.e., is "blind" to the fact that) a copy of the message has been sent to someone else (the addressee in the BCC: slot). The message itself should be brief but it must conform to the rules of email etiquette (netiquette). Many email clients allow the user to write a "signature" file. This file can be appended to every message and sent with the message.

Email messages are not considered a secure form of communication. In other words, you cannot assume that these messages are private. Email messages can be read by network managers and are often intercepted as they travel across the internet. Sensitive information, like credit card numbers, should not be sent by email.

Email can also be used to send attachments. Attachments can be any kind of computer file; however, some may contain viruses. Never open an email message or email attachment if you are not absolutely sure where it came from. Also, because these file attachments are often quite large, messages with attached files take up much more space on mail servers than regular messages. If possible, download and save the attached files (if you need to keep them) and then delete messages with attachments. This will help keep the mail server less crowded.