Topic 9

An Email is an electronic message sent from one computer user to another using a communication device such as a computer, telephone, PDA, etc.

Facilities: 

• Standard outgoing signature and message
• Group email
• Using cc and bcc 
• Attaching files
• Address books 
• Naming email groups and folders
• Search 
• Reply
• Forward

A signature is a text that you set up and appears at the end of your email message and it usually contains your name and contact details. You can have any message you like and some people like to add a question. You give your signature a name so you can reuse it and have a choice. 

You can form a group of people from all the people you send emails to. You can then send emails to a particular group of people which saves loads of time. 

Cc means Carbon copy where you list the email addresses of people you want to send a copy of the email to after the  cc

Bcc means Blind Carbon copy and allows you to send copies of emails to others without them being able to see each other's email addresses. 

In business we send emails to people who are actively involved in the subject being discussed

Files can be sent with an email and are useful for sending work from school/ college to your home computer. They can attach any type of file and sometimes compress files before sending. 

Address books allow you to create a list of contact details. If you want to send an email to someone, you just click on their name and their email address is inserted. Email addresses of people who contact you can be added automatically. 

Advantages: 

• Virtually instantaneous- mail is sent immediately
• You can attach a copy of the sender's messaeg with your reply so they don't have to look for the original 
• If you discount the cost of hardware and software the user probably already has then email is virtually free to send
• No need for the formatlity of a letter
• Emails can be accessed on a large range of devices
• Emails are more environmentally friendly

Disadvantages: 

• Not everyone has a computer so ordinary post is still used
• It may make users more casual about their approach to business 
• Junk mail
• Security aspects- viruses, hackers
• System relies on people checking their inboxes regularly

There are a number of potential misuses of email services: 

• Cyberbullying
• Sending lots of personal emails in firm's time
• Inappropriate attachments (e.g. offensive jokes, ***********) 
• Sending spam
• Attaching files containing viruses
• Inappropriate language (swearing) 

Precautions need to be taken to prevent these issues:

• Email monitoring software
• Parental control
• Email encryption
• Spam filters
• Anti virus software