EMAIL ACCESS

This two hour session will cover three means of accessing electronic
mail or "email."  Firstly, we will discuss what is common to all 
three types of access.  Secondly, we will examine each type and learn
how to setup each of the three on a PC.  Thirdly, we will practice 
with each email system, at the same time becoming aware of the 
advantages and disadvantages of each.  Finally we will discuss some 
issues central to electronic mail, such as privacy, and "nettiquette."

WHAT YOU ALWAYS NEED

1.  Software on the Internet enabled machine.  
* Access is always via a dialup modem, through a network gateway 
   (WTCPL), or by direct connection to the Internet.  We derive our
   connection, ultimately, through the OPLIN gateway on the Department
   of Administrative Services high speed backbone line.
* All three types of access require some program to run on the PC that
   can make requests, sending and receiving intelligible data, from 
   other computers on the Internet. 

2.  Two email addresses.
* Your address (OPLIN address, home email, or browser email account).
* A recipient's address  (For the purpose of this class, an email
   address will be provided).


THREE TYPES OF EMAIL ACCESS

1.  telnet.exe
Telnet email is a misnomer.  Telnet, by itself, can only contact
 another machine, whether it be a mail server or not.  Access to 
 the activity of emailing is gained by using the telnet program to
 execute a mail program on the contacted machine.  That machine is
 then used through the simple communications protocol called telnet.

To start a telnet session:
Click on START, then RUN, then type telnet [mail server name] in the
 dialogue box.

2.  POP email programs
Both popular web browsers, Internet Explorer and Netscape Navigator
 use post office protocol email programs.  Post Office Protocol 
 programs run as clients which can connect to central mail servers.
 Messages are downloaded to the machine making the access and stored
 to a local drive.  They support a wide variety of attachments.

To start POP mail:
Click on the mail icon in Communicator, or click Communicator in the
 Command  Headings and then click Messenger Mailbox.

3.  Web page Email Sites
The exponential growth of the Internet has spawned many new free 
 email-for-advertising sites on the Internet.  Among these are 
 Hotmail (recently purchased for 400 million dollars), Excite, Yahoo,
 and Rocketmail.

To access web-based email:
Go to the website of the email vendor by typing its address in the 
 Address Location box of Communicator, and pressing ENTER.  Then, use
 the point and click interface to login to the site.


SETTING UP EACH TYPE OF PROGRAM

TELNET
Telnet.exe is a program included on all of WTCPL's Windows 95 
computers. You can always run the program and access the mail through
the START button, but setting up an icon for it on the desktop is a 
time-saving isssue.

First, right-click on the desktop's background (don't right-click on
any other icons).  from the menu, choose NEW, then SHORTCUT.  Into 
the Create Shortcut box, type:   telnet [mailserver name]
example
telnet mail.oplin.lib.oh.us

Click NEXT, then Name the Shortcut (e.g., OPLIN Email), and click 
finished.  The shortcut should appear on the desktop, from which it
can be double-clicked.


POP EMAIL IN NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR
Setting up a profile on Communicator.  NC 4.0 allows multiple users 
of the web browser to set up and maintain separate preferences and 
email accounts on one machine.

Close any running copies of Communicator.  Click START, PROGRAMS, 
NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR, UTILITIES, and finally, USER PROFILE MANAGER.
Enter all required information.


Steps to set up a profile:
Fullname
Email Address
Next
Profile name (how your name will appear on the list when starting 
 Communicator)
Keep default settings, here
Next.
Name
Email address
Outgoing mail server (e.g., mail.oplin.lib.oh.us)
Next.
Mail Server User Name what precedes the @ in an address (e.g.,
 ynamem@mail.blah.blah)
Incoming mail server (usually the same as outgoing)
Mail Server Type (use default setting of POP3)
Next. Leave News Server info blank. Then, click Finish.

The next time Communicator starts, there will be at least two names 
on the list, Default, and Your Name.  You can also edit the mail 
preferences (in case you change mail accounts, decide to access a 
different email server).  Remember to choose your profile when you
start Communicator or you may accidentally change another user's 
information and not yours.

To change mail preferences:
Select EDIT, then PREFERENCES.  Click the + beside MAIL GROUPS
Select each entry and change appropriate information (usually, only
the mail server and username will need to be changed).  When done 
start Messenger (netscape's POP email program) and login to get your
messages.


BROWSER-BASED EMAIL
Requires that the machine have Internet access with a graphical 
browser, to be used effectively.

ADVANTAGES OF EACH TYPE OF ACCESS

TELNET
* Can be used on any Windows PC on the Internet if your mail server
 runs software that allows for telnet access.  OPLIN uses Pine mail,
 for instance.
* It is text-based, so it's still something an older machine can do
 well.
* Messages are left on the mail server, so once you are logged out,
 no copies of any messages are left on the local machine.

NETSCAPE COMMUNICATOR
* Allows for multiple users, although it works best if the machine 
 has primarily one user.
* Windows style interface.
* Great capabilities or printing, linking documents, attachments, etc.

BROWSER-BASED EMAIL
* Can be used on any machine with a web browser.
* Messages reside on the mail server.
* the companies are adding new features each day.


DISADVANTAGES OF EACH TYPE OF ACCESS

TELNET
* Usually, printing is a hassle.  You can highlight and copy text for
 use in another program, however.
* Telnet does not support graphical attachments to your email.
* It relies on some other program running on the mail server.  
 Pinemail, running on the OPLIN mail server, is an example.

POP EMAIL
* Stored mail files can usually be accessed by anyone starting the 
 browser program.
* User preferences may need to be changed once in a while, and 
 accessing multiple mail accounts means editing the preferences each
 time.
* Many public access workstations will not allow inputting of user
 information necessary to access POP email.

BROWSER-BASED EMAIL
* Some web browsers may not be able to support certain features of 
 the mail site.
* It is less secure than software-based programs using encryption.
* Most web-based email companies require that you consent to having
 advertisements placed in with your email messages.

Walter Lesch
Training Specialist
Shaker Heights Public Library