TUTORIAL FOR NEWCOMERS TO THE INTERNET
 
19 - E-MAIL PROGRAMS & SETTINGS 
Basics  
More Basics  
1 - Scope  
2 - Connecting  
3 - How ISPs Differ  
4 - Definitions   
5 - The Browser  
WORLD WIDE WEB  
6 - "Web Page"  
7 - Addresses (URLs)  
8 - Bookmarks 
9 - Known Address  
10 - Navigating   
11 -  Frames  
12 - The "Home" Page  
13 - Cruising  
14 - Searching  
15 - Saving Text  
16 - Saving Pictures  
17 - Security  
18 - Plugins  
E-Mail  
19 - Programs/Settings  
20 - E-mail Addresses  
21 - Using E-mail  
22 - Attachments  
23 - Listservs  
Other  
24 -Newsgroups  
25 -Netiquette
A lot of software is available to help you manage your e-mail.  The simplest to use is probably that which came with your browser.  Your ISP can help you configure your mail settings properly. 

In general, your mail program, regardless of which it is, needs to know several pieces of information: 

  • Your login name.  If your e-mail address is as shown above, your login name is johndoe. 
  • Your email address, which looks something like this:  johndoe@, where what's before the @ is your login name and what's after it is your ISP's domain name.
  • Your incoming mail server (also called POP or POP3 or IMAP server).  Your ISP will provide you with this information.
  • Your outgoing mail server (also called SMTP server).  Your ISP will provide you with this information as well.
All of this information must be correct for you to send and receive mail.  Once the settings are in place, you don't have to worry about them.   

This tutorial won't attempt to describe every mail program and its operations but will discuss features common to all.  Don't be afraid to click on Help on the menu bar or to experiment.  However, don't experiment with configuration settings unless you've determined that you have a problem. 

In Netscape 3, you can open the mail window by double clicking on the small envelope at the bottom right of the browser window.  You configure mail by choosing the Options menu on Netscape's menu bar, then Mail and News Preferences. 

In Netscape Communicator, open your mail box by clicking on Communicator on the menu bar, then on Messenger Mailbox.  View mail settings by clicking on the Edit menu, then Preferences..., then double-clicking on Mail & Groups. 

In Internet Explorer, access mail by clicking on the Mail button at upper right.  Version 3 uses a program called Internet Mail as its mail reader.  To view mail settings in Internet Mail, choose Mail from its menu bar, then Options.  Version 4 uses Outlook.  Settings are stored on Outlooks' Tools menu under Options and on the Windows 95 Control Panel under Mail and Fax.  
 

    NOTE:  The idea of "Web mail" has become more and more attractive.  Yahoo, for example, offers free Web mail to anyone.  With Web mail, your mail isn't dependent upon your Internet access provider.  You can view your mail anywhere, from any Internet-connected computer.  You just use your Web browser to do it (Netscape or Internet Explorer.  And you can change access providers without having to change your e-mail address.
  
BACK  NEXT