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EMAIL ACCOUNTS
Every student needs an e-mail account. You
will not be able to use accounts belonging to other students because of
the confusion this causes.
You must have an E-mail address prior to starting the class as a number of
issues need to be communicated directly to you. Your E-mail
address is established when you sign up with an Internet Service Provider
(ISP) for your home computer. Check with your ISP if you do not know
what your E-mail address is. If you already have an E-mail account, you
may use this address for this online course.
(You may also acquire a free e-mail account from a variety of sources, if
you need to, such as "Hotmail". These free sites post ads on their
services as a way of supporting the services they provide. If you are
accessing your course from a library site, campus site or "borrowing a
computer" for your course this may be helpful to you.)
We believe strongly in the value of
electronic mail in both corporate and personal domains. Email is cheaper
and faster than a letter, less intrusive than a phone call, less hassle
than a FAX. Using email, differences in location and time zone are less of
an obstacle to communication. There is also evidence that email leads to a
more egalitarian information structure.
WHAT MAKES EMAIL DIFFERENT?
Electronic
communication, because of its speed and broadcasting ability, is
fundamentally different from paper-based communication. Because the
turnaround time can be so fast, email is more conversational than
traditional paper-based media. Hopefully, this guide will make you
examine your assumptions about email and thus help you maximize your email
effectiveness.
In a paper document, it is absolutely essential to make everything
completely clear and unambiguous because your audience may not have a
chance to ask for clarification. With email documents, your recipient can
ask questions immediately. Email thus tends, like conversational speech,
to be sloppier than communications on paper.
This is not always bad. It makes little sense to slave over a message for
hours, making sure that your spelling is faultless, your words eloquent,
and your grammar beyond reproach, if the point of the message is to tell
your co-worker that you are ready to go to lunch.
However, your correspondent also won't have normal status cues such as
dress, diction, or dialect, so may make assumptions based on your name,
address, and - above all - facility with language. You need to be aware of
when you can be sloppy and when you have to be meticulous.
Email also does not convey emotions nearly as well as face-to-face or even
telephone conversations. It lacks vocal inflection, gestures, and a shared
environment. Your correspondent may have difficulty telling if you
are serious or kidding, happy or sad, frustrated or euphoric. Sarcasm is
particularly dangerous to use in email.
Another difference between email and older media is that what the sender
sees when composing a message might not look like what the reader sees.
Your vocal cords make sound waves that are perceived basically the same by
both your ears as your audience's. The paper that you write your love note
on is the same paper that the object of your affection sees. But with
email, the software and hardware that you use for composing, sending,
storing, downloading, and reading may be completely different from what
your correspondent uses. Your message's visual qualities may be quite
different by the time it gets to someone else's screen.
HOW DO I GET AN E-MAIL ADDRESS?
There are hundreds of free e-mail suppliers. You can find most of them by
using an Internet search. Two of the most popular free e-mail providers
are Hotmail and
Yahoo.
IS MY E-MAIL PRIVATE?
Most free e-mail providers have a privacy policy. It is good practice to
read the privacy policy of the provider you choose. Most providers will
only open your e-mail if they are required to by law enforcement
authorities.
CAN I ATTACH FILES TO MY E-MAIL?
Yes. If your Web browser supports the
attachment of files (such as Netscape Navigator 3.x and later, or
Microsoft Internet Explorer 4.x or later, etc.), you can send attachments
using Hotmail.
WHAT
SOFTWARE DO I NEED?
Most e-mail providers require that you use a Web browser that
supports graphics and nested tables, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer
4.0 or later or Netscape Navigator 4.0 or later. For a richer experience,
we recommend that you use a Web browser that also supports JavaScript™,
cookies, and style sheets. Text-based browsers, such as Lynx, do not meet
our requirements.
HOTMAIL
HAS COMPILED THE FOLLOWING TIPS TO HELP MAKE YOU A SAFE, SECURE AND SAVVY
E-MAIL USER:
- Change your password often. The quick act
of changing your password can ensure your e-mail remains private. In
addition, passwords that use both letters and numbers are harder to
break.
- Don't share your password. Most e-mail
administrators will not ask for your password. Do not be duped by
malicious e-mails asking you for your password. This is a well-known,
although not-too-common trick designed to fool you into sharing your
password. As a rule, never share it with anyone.
- Never open attachments from unknown
sources. They may contain what are known as "letterbombs" or "viruses,"
which can damage your PC.
- Always remember to sign out when you are
done. It's quick, easy and may save your account from unwanted
trespassers. If you are using a public terminal, at an internet cafe for
example, it is advised that you close the browser you were using when
you are ready to end your Internet session.
- Don't reply to unsolicited messages
("spam") mail, or other harassing or offensive mail. By responding, you
only confirm that you are a person with an active e-mail address who can
be plagued with constant unwanted e-mail solicitations.
- Make sure that you are using the most
up-to-date Internet software (e.g. browsers such as Microsoft Internet
Explorer or Netscape Navigator). More recent versions often offer
enhanced security protection.
- Always use a secure network. Most
corporate networks and Internet service providers are protected by
administrators who watch for potential security problems and act to
protect users from "hackers" (malicious users) who may try to steal
personal information that is transferred through the network. Although
the risk is small, use caution when on any unfamiliar network. Use
stations maintained by sources you trust, or ask if the Internet
terminal you are using is protected against security break-ins.
- Use common sense when you're on the
Internet and maintain a healthy dose of skepticism. Use caution when
revealing personal information, such as your physical address, to anyone
you meet in cyberspace; even if they claim to be someone of authority.
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