Microsofts Outlook Express is one terrific way to correspond with anyone in this world right from the desktop of your computer. The only requirement for anyone to receive your e-mail message is that they have access to a computer that can connect to the Internet. It is amazing how the times of letter writing have changed. Thanks to e-mail management programs like Outlook Express, we can send and receive e-mail 24 hours a day, 7 days a week if we so desire.
While instant messaging and newsgroups are hot topics for some and can be dealt with through Outlook Express, this book intentionally does not address either of them in any way. This book is about the e-mail basics; respectfully sending and safely receiving, with a few other associated nice to know computer topics.
This book is written at the beginner level so those knowing very little about computers or e-mail can greatly benefit in a short amount of time.
This material supplements the already existing HELP menu included within the Outlook Express program. The intention of this book is extensive clarification.
Chapter 1 teaches you how to be sure you have the latest version of Outlook Express installed on your computer.
Chapter 2 discusses opening Outlook Express. It explains in how to customize the main screen view.
In order to send and receive e-mail, you must have an account of some sort with an Internet Service Provider (ISP) who, at a minimum provides you a connection to the Internet. This is addressed in Chapter 3, E-Mail Accounts specifically Mail.
In many homes and businesses, more than one individual use the same computer. Outlook Express can keep track of who-is-who with regard to e-mail sent and received as well as keeping track of specific e-mail addresses for each user, also known as an identity. This is covered in Chapter 4, Computer User Identities.
Chapter 5 covers the Address Book backing it up, organizing, printing, and the electronic business card feature.
Chapter 6 covers sending e-mail that you create from scratch. Differences between plain, rich, and HTML text are explained. Using the BCC (blind carbon copy) field is a very nice feature for respectful e-mailing. You learn how to create and add signatures to your messages as well as how to have your own personal stationery with various colors, styles, patterns and backgrounds. You can also add a digital business card to outgoing messages. Sending attachments and insertions (pictures, sounds, files, and Web site links) are explained.
Chapter 7 deals with receiving, replying to, and forwarding e-mail. Previewing an e-mail message technically is different from actually opening the e-mail. You can create folders to organize messages that you want to keep. You can block messages from unique e-mail addresses that you wish not to receive further messages from. Outlook Express can be setup to save names and e-mail addresses of anyone to whom you reply and automatically enter them into the Address Book.
The Appendixes are a bonus section of stand alone information separate from Outlook Express, yet when understood help you interact better with Outlook Express and therefore improve your computer experience in general. They are: Windows Taskbar; Desktop Shortcuts & Icons; Minimize, Maximize, & Close; Block Text, Cut, Copy, & Paste; and Suggested PC Maintenance. A sample of the End The Clutter ETC Preferred Subscriber Weekly E-mail Program is included as well.
It is strongly recommended that you have the latest updated version of a reputable Virus Protection software program installed on your system prior to playing with e-mail. It is also important to check for updates for this software daily before receiving or sending e-mail. New viruses appear all the time and keeping your software up to date provides you with the latest protection available. You can receive a computer virus in many ways previewing an e-mail, opening an e-mail, opening an attachment, and instant messages to name a few.
This book is written with the left click as the primary mouse click.
This book is specifically uses large print for easier reading. There is ample space for your notes and questions. When a question comes up write it down in this book. If you use a special setting write that in as well.
|