Internet I: Electronic Mail/ E-Mail Accounts – SS3 Data Processing Lesson Note (First Term)

Electronic mail (email) is a way of sending digital messages through the Internet from one author to one or many recipients.

Behavioural objectives

By the end of the lesson, students should be able to:

1. define electronic mail;
2. state and explain two services provided by electronic mail;
3. create a free email account with Yahoo;
4. open a Yahoo mailbox;
5. compose and send an email with Yahoo Mail;
6. read a received email in the inbox.

What is electronic mail?

Electronic mail, most commonly abbreviated as email or e-mail, is a method of exchanging digital messages from one source (author) to many destinations (recipients) through the Internet.

• Author (sender): the person who writes and sends the message.
• Recipient: the person or people who receive the message.
• Email account: a personal space on a mail server where a user sends and keeps messages.
• Email address: the unique name that identifies an email account, for example ade.bello@yahoo.com.
• Mailbox: the area of the account where messages are stored and read.

What are the parts of an email address?

An email address has three parts: the username, the @ symbol and the domain name.

• Username: the name chosen by the user, such as ade.bello.
• @ symbol: read as “at”, it separates the username from the domain.
• Domain name: the mail provider that hosts the account, such as yahoo.com.

What services does electronic mail provide?

Electronic mail provides two main services: sending and receiving emails, and chat.

1. Send/Receive emails: this is one of the major services rendered by email. The user can send files in the form of messages, pictures, movies, software and so on.
2. Chat: email providers offer chat services such as Yahoo Messenger, Google Talk and MSN Messenger. With the email address, users can access the chat services to add friends and chat with them.

What are the parts of an email message?

An email message has a header and a body, and the header holds the address and subject fields.

• To: the address of the main recipient.
• Cc (carbon copy): sends a copy to other people, and every recipient can see their addresses.
• Bcc (blind carbon copy): sends a copy to other people whose addresses stay hidden from the rest.
• Subject: a short title that tells the recipient what the message is about.
• Body: the main text of the message.
• Attachment: a file, such as a picture or document, sent along with the message.

What are the standard folders in a mailbox?

A mailbox keeps messages in folders, and the common ones are Inbox, Sent, Drafts, Spam and Trash.

• Inbox: holds messages you have received.
• Sent: keeps copies of messages you have sent.
• Drafts: keeps messages you started but did not send.
• Spam: holds unwanted or suspicious mail.
• Trash: holds deleted messages.

How do you create an email account?

Creating an email account gives a person an email address for sending and receiving emails to and from friends and loved ones.

• Free providers: some websites offering free email services are Yahoo, Hotmail, AOL and Gmail.
• Requirements: a computer or phone, an Internet connection and a web browser.

Steps for creating an email account with Yahoo

To create a free account with Yahoo Mail, follow the steps below:

1. Open a web browser such as Internet Explorer and type www.yahoo.com in the address bar.
2. On the Yahoo web page, click on Sign Up.
3. Fill in your personal data particulars.
4. Type the proposed email address you want to use.
5. Click on Check availability.
6. If the address has been used by someone, the computer will suggest another email address for you. Select from the options offered to you.
7. Type your password and retype it to confirm.
8. Type the code shown in the registration window.
9. Click on Create My Account. If Yahoo returns you to the sign-up form, correct the information you entered. Otherwise, a screen will confirm that your new Yahoo email address has been created and is ready for use.
10. Click on the Continue button to go to the Yahoo homepage. You are logged in when Yahoo greets you with “Hi!” followed by your first name.
11. To access your emails, click on the Mail link on the Yahoo home page.

What makes a good password?

• Length: use at least eight characters.
• Mixture: combine capital letters, small letters, numbers and symbols.
• Privacy: never share your password or write it where others can see it.
• Personal details: avoid your name or date of birth.

How do you open a mailbox?

To open a Yahoo mailbox, you need the username and the password of the email account.

1. Open a web browser such as Internet Explorer and type www.yahoo.com in the address bar. On the Yahoo web page, click on Sign In.
2. In the window that is displayed, type the username part of the email address you created earlier in the Yahoo! ID textbox.
3. In the password textbox, type the password of the email address.
4. Click the Sign In button to go to your Yahoo home page.
5. To view your mail, click on Mail on the Yahoo home page. The Yahoo mailbox opens.

How do you send and read email with Yahoo Mail?

You send an email by composing a new message and clicking Send, and you read mail from the Inbox.

Sending an email

1. Click on the New button.
2. Type the recipient address in the To text box.
3. Type the subject title in the Subject text box.
4. Type the message content in the white text area below the subject field.
5. Click on the Send command button.

Reading received emails

1. Click on the Inbox link.
2. Click on the message from your friend to open it.

What are the advantages and disadvantages of email?

Email is fast and cheap, but it depends on the Internet and can carry unwanted or harmful messages.

Advantages

• Speed: a message reaches the recipient within seconds.
• Low cost: there are no stamps or transport fees.
• Many recipients: one message can go to many people at once.
• Attachments: pictures, documents and other files can be sent with the message.
• Storage: sent and received messages stay in the mailbox for later use.

Disadvantages

• Internet needed: both sender and receiver must have access to the Internet.
• Spam: unwanted mail can fill the mailbox.
• Viruses: attachments can carry harmful programs.
• Scams: some messages try to trick users into giving away passwords or money.

How does email differ from an ordinary postal letter?

A postal letter is a paper message carried by a postal service, while an email is a digital message carried over the Internet.

Evaluation

1. Define electronic mail.
2. Name the two services provided by electronic mail.
3. What two things are required to open a Yahoo mailbox?
4. List the steps for composing and sending an email with Yahoo Mail.
5. Name the three parts of an email address.

Assignment

Reading assignment: HiiT @ School, Computer Studies for Senior Secondary Education. Chapter Five, pages 116 to 117.

Weekend assignment: objective questions

1. …………. is a method of exchanging digital messages from one source (author) to many destinations (recipients) through the Internet. (a) Internet (b) email (c) pinging (d) lettering
2. Electronic mail services allow users to use one of the following: (a) Chat (b) ping (c) upload (d) download
3. ……………. is the first step in creating an account with Yahoo Mail. (a) Type your password (b) Fill in your data (c) Click on sign up (d) Open the Internet and type www.yahoo.com
4. ………….. is the second step in creating an account with Yahoo Mail. (a) Open Internet Explorer (b) Fill in your data (c) Click on sign up (d) Type the proposed email address you want to use.
5. Creating an email account enables one to have a/an ……………………… (a) system (b) website (c) email address (d) cyber café

Weekend assignment: theory

1. State the steps involved in creating an email account with Yahoo.
2. State and explain the two (2) services email provides.