MODULE TWO

Email Tutorial

I undertook the email tutorial and found it relatively simple as I am an incessant emailer (is that a word).

I did, however, find some useful information for the use of Outlook Express which was very helpful, regarding change of identity.

1. What information about a user's email, the origin of a message, and the path it took can you glean from an email message?

You can glean what a users email package is from the senders address and domain, where the email originated from, where it has travelled i.e. has it been forwarded to many recipients or just to you.


2. In what cases would you find it useful to use the 'cc', 'bcc' and 'reply all' functions of email?

In an office situation where more than one recipient needs the information being sent it would be faster using 'cc' - also in a social situation if there was a bit of gossip going around.

On that note, 'bcc' which is sending a blind copy to someone would be handy for confidentiality purposes. I would be very careful though.

In the situation where arrangements are being made reply all allows all of the people contacted to know that you will be attending.


3. In what ways can you ensure that an attachment you send will be easily opened by the receiver?

It is essential to ensure that the recipient of an attachment has the compatible software in order to open the file. Always send the file in a format that can be read by their system e.g. Windows to Macintosh.

If you are unable to find out the recipients software it is advisable to send the file as a plain text document (ASCII) or as a rich text document (RTF) as this is a format which is able to be read by many different applications.

Formatting may be lost but at least the attachment will be able to be read.


4. What sort of filters or rules do you have set up, and for what purpose

To be completely honest I only have one folder which is for correspondence to and from my boyfriend. I find it awfully handy when he denies until he is blue in the face that "he never said such a thing" - I have it in writing. Very handy in an argument situation.

5. How have you organised the folder structure of your email and why?

See question 4. I use Outlook Express so therefore have a separate folder for my boyfriend correspondence in his name which I back-up on a hard disk periodically. God I'm sick aren't I.

I would however, if I still worked in an office would have separate folders for each issue addressed and possibly would have a filter system in place for repeat useless mail.