Using E-mail

A presentation of the

Elmhurst Public Library

What is Electronic Mail?

• E-mail is a way of using the Internet to send messages to other people.

• Faster than “snail mail”.

• Freely available.

How Can You Access E-mail?

• Internet access

• E-mail service provider

What do E-mail Service Providers do?

• Give you an e-mail address.

• Maintain space for you where your messages are stored.

• Send your messages across the Internet to other e-mail users.

What is an E-mail Address?

• The address you give people so that they can write to you.

• Two parts: username and domain name

Difference between E-mail and Internet Addresses

@ The ‘at’ sign

Internet Addresses: E-mail Addresses:

Yahoo! Mail: http://mail.yahoo.comHotmail: http://www.hotmail.comGmail: http://mail.google.com

Different Kinds ofE-mail Service Providers

• Work

• Internet Service Provider

• WWW (free or for a fee)

We will focus on free providers on the World Wide Web.

Finding an E-mail Provider on the World Wide Web

• Word of mouth

• Advertisement, news and media

• Online directories

Directory of Free E-mail Providers

• Go to http://www.yahoo.com/ and type “Free E-mail Providers”

Choosing a Provider

• Look and feel

• Features (spell check, virus protection, attachments)

• Amount of storage space

• Fee versus free

We will use Yahoo! Mail: http://mail.yahoo.com

Registering for an AccountTo get an account with an e-mail provider, you must

register by filling out a form. You can access this form through the main page of any e-mail provider.

Choosing a Username

• Yahoo uses the term “Yahoo ID” instead of username.

• What-you-choose@yahoo.com• Not caps-sensitive• May already be taken (you’ll find out later)

Choosing a Password

• Caps-sensitive

• Letters and numbers

• At least 6 characters

• Something you can remember

• Type twice

Just in Case You Forget

If you forget your Yahoo! ID or password then this information will help you to get access to your account.

Demographic Information& Interests

This information is collected mainly for the purpose of marketing.

Human or Automaton

By typing the letters that appear distorted in the box you prove that you aren’t a computer. Hackers design computer programs to automatically register fake accounts.This helps Yahoo! avoid registering people who aren’t real.

Submit the Registration Form

Note that there are links to a “Terms of Service” agreement and a “Privacy Policy”. When you click submit you are accepting these.

When ready, click “Submit This Form”.

Welcome to E-mail

You probably have 1 unread message.

Signing Out

Always sign out of your account when you are done. If you don’t then someone else can access your e-mail.

Signing In

•Go to http://mail.yahoo.com/

•Enter your Yahoo! ID and password

•Click “Sign In”

Main Yahoo! Mail Screen