Practical PC, 7 th Edition Chapter 9: Sending E-mail and Attachments

Practical PC, 7th EditionChapter 9: Sending E-mail and

Attachments

Sending E-mail and Attachments

• FAQs– How does e-mail work?– How do I set up local e-mail?– What should I know about Webmail?– How can I organize messages and contacts?– What should I know about sending e-mail

attachments?– What should I know about receiving attachments?– How should I deal with spam?

• Technology: Compression2Practical PC, 7th Edition

How does e-mail work?

• An e-mail message is a digital document transmitted from one computer to another, usually over the Internet– Computers and software that provide e-mail

services form an e-mail system– At the heart of the system is an e-mail server that

runs e-mail server software– To access an e-mail system, user must have an

account on an e-mail server and the PC must have software that helps user read, compose, and send messages

Practical PC, 7th Edition 3


• Two types of e-mail systems – Webmail• User connects to the Web to read and compose e-mail

messages using Web browser software such as Internet Explorer, Chrome, or Firefox• Incoming mail remains on the server, not on the local

computer• Accessible from any computer that has an Internet

connection



– Local e-mail • Runs on the hard disk• Allows user to compose and read mail while offline• Is based on store-and-forward technology meaning that

incoming e-mail is stored on an e-mail server until the client computer connects and requests them• Also called POP mail based on the Post Office Protocol

software used on the e-mail server




Figure 9-1

How do I set up local e-mail?

• To set up an e-mail account:– Obtain an e-mail address and password on a POP

server– Have local e-mail client software, such as Microsoft

Outlook, or Mozilla Thunderbird

• To read e-mail messages:– Start your e-mail client, connect to mail server, and

download messages to your inbox– The Send/Receive button usually initiates download



• To compose a new message:– Fill in the e-mail header– Type text of the message– Use the Send/Receive button to send the message

• Since local e-mail is stored on your hard disk, it is your responsibility to back up your mail




Figure 9-2

What should I know about Webmail?

• To obtain a Webmail account: – Connect to a provider’s Web site and enter

required information to obtain an e-mail address, a user ID, and a password• Popular providers include Google Gmail, Outlook.com

and Yahoo! Mail – Use a browser to connect to the Webmail site– You can write, read, reply to, and delete e-mail

messages



• Benefit of Webmail– Your e-mail will be available from any computer

with an Internet connection• Remember to log off so others don’t access your

account

• Disadvantages of Webmail– Inability to access mail during a power outage– Potential privacy risk of storing emails on a remote

server




Figure 9-3

How can I organize messages and contacts?

• Organizational tools offered by e-mail clients– Mark as read or unread– Prioritize– Group– Label– Work with threads– Sort


How can I organize messages and contacts?


Figure 9-4

What should I know about sending email attachments?

• An e-mail attachment is a file that travels along with an e-mail message– Files with executable extensions, such

as .exe., .com, .bat, and .app, are blocked by most e-mail servers• To send these types of files, zip them first

– To help assure recipients that an attachment is legitimate, refer to it in the body of the message• Can also indicate the software used to create the

attachment


What should I know about sending email attachments?


What should I know about receiving attachments?

• Most e-mail software indicates an attachment with an icon, such as a paper clip

– Double-click the icon to open the message

• Use caution when opening attachments; some contain viruses

• Make sure antivirus software is set to automatically scan emails as they are delivered to the inbox



• E-mail clients handle attachments in different ways– Gmail automatically displays attachments

containing photos; Outlook does not– Neither automatically displays attachments

containing documents, PDFs, and other types of files• Look for Preview or View button to display the contents• If no such option is available, save the attachment and

then open it




Figure 9-6

How should I deal with spam?

• Spam is unwanted electronic junk mail– Was once a mere annoyance; now it is a major

hacking took for cybercriminals– Phishing is an e-mail based scam that is designed

to persuade you to reveal confidential information– Use a spam filter• Utility software that captures unsolicited e-mail before

it reaches your Inbox• Can also use a disposable e-mail address


How should I deal with spam?


Figure 9-7

Technology: Compression

• Compression– Any technique that recodes the data in a file so

that it contains fewer bits– Smaller files produced as a result of compression

require less storage space and can be transmitted more rapidly

– Used routinely before sending images and other large files as attachments



• Lossy Compression– Discards some of the original data during the

compression process– Moderate levels of compression make the

information loss unnoticeable• Applying too much compression can produce fuzzy

images and low–quality audio• Most techniques have adjustable compression levels

– Can be used for image, video, and music files



• Lossless Compression– Compresses a file and then reconstitutes all its

data into its original state– Used for text and numeric data files• Can also be used for images, videos, and music

• Ways to compress files– Software compression• Automatically compresses data, i.e., camera saving a

picture in JPEG format rather than in RAW format



– Compression utilities• Apply lossless compression to shrink file size• Used to shrink files containing text and numbers as well

as image and music files stored in RAW, WAV and other non-compressed formats

– Compressing files is often referred to as zipping• Compression utilities can be used to zip multiple files

into one package• Windows supplies a compression utility that produces

compressed folders



• Unzipping a folder extracts the files and folders and reconstitutes them to their original state• Folders that display a

zipper contain compressed files


Practical PC, 7 th Edition Chapter 9: Sending E-mail and Attachments

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