VirtualMV/Digital Learning Technologies/Social/eMail

Overview
Email is still one of the principal applications used to communicate. However shouldn't be used as the only form of communication and face to face conversations are very important. In the realm of digital learning and globalisation emails are essential where face to face conversation is not possible.

How email works How email works

Uses of Email

 * To distribute posts to users when they are made to discussion forums and blogs.
 * To send documents (attachments) to one or many users
 * Email enables educators access to text based communication, that is easily transmitted and can access multiple users/people.

Learn how to use eMail
I have found a great simple site to teach you how to use eMail easily. The below link will take you to the site and you can proceed through the pages at your leisure. http://www.ctdlc.org/remediation/indexe-mail.html

I have also found this 'you tube' video to teach you how to use Microsoft Outlook 2010 emailing program.



Paula 07:27, 1 April 2013 (EDT)

Types of email servers


When you are adding your email account to an email client such as Microsoft Outlook, Windows Mail, Thunderbird etc., you might be asked to choose the type of email server your account uses.

There are three common email server types:

POP3 (Post Office Protocol 3) - is a server that holds your email messages until you check your email, at which point they are transferred to your computer. Also, all messages will be deleted from the server once your check your email.

IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) - is a server that allows you to work with your email messages without downloading them to your computer first. Copies of your emails are stored on the server unless you choose to delete them. You can do all required manipulations in your email client and the messages on the server get updated at the same time.

SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) - is a server that is responsible for sending your messages to the Internet. It handles outgoing mails and is used with POP3 or IMAP servers.

If you're not sure which type of e‑mail server your account uses, check with your email provider or Internet service provider (ISP).

Grybin 09:10, 26 March 2014 (EDT)

Multiple accounts


It is useful to have more than one eMail account. Generally you should have a personal account and a professional account (usually provided by your employer). A third account used to handle "dodgy" sites is also very useful, for example sites that you suspect may fill you inbox with notification spam.

With multiple email accounts and tag/folder formatting utilised you have more control over which emails you read. Example when you are at work you would use your 'work' email account so you view emails relating to 'work'. Following this practise will also save you from getting in trouble at work with inappropriate emails.

Think about when you receive junk mail in the letter box and it sometimes comes rolled together by using multiple email accounts. You can send things like junk mail and other unimportant things to a separate email account to stay organised, help time management and reduce distractions.

Examples
You are Fred Fredrickson, guy-with-three-email-accounts.

Fredmeister.General@gmail.com <-- This is probably the "personal" account, hosted by Gmail.

f.fredrickson@GlareIndustries.Com <-- This would be the "work" account, supplied by Glare Industries.

fred19838@gmail.com <-- This would be the throwaway, spam account of no consequence.

Issues
Unless everyone involved is constantly checking their emails or has a way of notifying them when they do have new mail, expect severe delays between responses and replies. This is a problem if, say, the subject matter in question requires a quick/instant response.

eMail overload

 * If one receives too much email, they simply get swamped. For example, if one person is fielding questions from too many people, a number of things will happen:
 * Shorter, more terse responses, possibly lacking in quality
 * Missed questions
 * Scorched earth" responses, i.e. Deleting everything in your inbox and starting fresh.


 * For reference, see the movie Evan Almighty - he gets swamped with prayers, and simply starts just responding with "Yes" to all of them, regardless of content. This is not a good approach to answering questions.


 * A review from the Harvard Business Review recommends the following thing to reduce email overload. The number one thing is to regularly empty you inbox there’s only one way to get those emails down and that’s deleting, tagging and replying when appropriate. It is recommended that if you have to reply with one word (thanks, good etc.) then why bother, it will fill up someone else’s inbox and probably end up in more emails for you. Tagging emails so they fall into folders will also help you prioritise which emails to answer first also tagging emails with ‘respond later’ or similar will to help remind yourself later. (Stop Email Overload,2012)

Separating business and personal eMails
Linking to the email overload problem, this is important - you don't want, say, a pressing question or issue getting lost between those pictures of Aunt Mabel's cats that she sent you, and the lengthy email from your overseas sister who doesn't quite understand that you don't need a blow-by-blow account of every little thing that happened since she last wrote you a week ago.

Have an account for the work stuff, and an account for the cats and sister-letters. Don't mix the two.

Spam
Using an email filter is a useful way to manage auto-generated emails from some sites. Various software solutions have been developed to help filter out spam; see for example: http://www.spamfighter.com/SPAMfighter/Adw1.asp?cid=adwafau&gclid=COnelcOC87UCFYFLpgodShYAmw