Receiving a Message, by Barbara Resnick

Beginner’s SIG Series – E-Mail Techniques

Illustrated Using Outlook Express

Icons on Toolbar – Any Toolbar icon will have an equivalent menu selection.

Receiving Mail

1. Outlook Express may be set to receive mail automatically when you first enter the Inbox  - Tools, Options, General,  check Send and Receive Mail at Startup

2. Messages may be sent or received at any time during a session by clicking the toolbar Send/Receive Mail icon.

3. Outlook Express may be configured to receive mail only when you click the toolbar Send/Receive icon. Tools, Options, General,  uncheck Send and Receive Mail at Startup

4. In Outlook Express, the Preview Pane in the Inbox Window should be CLOSED.   From the Inbox window, View, Layout, Uncheck Show Preview Pane

5.  Small print?   Select View, Text Size, choose font size larger than the one      checked.

When receiving a message:

• From: line – shows the address of the sender.  Beware of addresses on the From line which you do not recognize.  Consider immediately deleting the message.  If the message is suspicious and contains a link which asks you to reply if you want to unsubscribe or receive no further notices, do not do it.  It is a flag to the sender that he/she has just reached a valid e-mail address.
• To:  line – If your address is on the To:  line the letter is being sent to you
• Cc: Line – If your address is here, you got a carbon copy of the original.  Original recipient’s name or address will be visible on the To: line.  There may be more than one name on any line.
• Addresses on Bcc: Line – not visible to any recipient.  Bcc:  addresses get carbon copies but no one knows about it.  If you receive a message and your name is not on the To:  line and not on the Cc:  line, you were on the Bcc:  line.

Received Mail Options

Sender can be automatically added to address book

1. Select Message.

2. Tools, Add Sender to Address Book (from Inbox window).

3.  Tools, Add Sender only or all recipients (from New Message window).

Moving a message to another folder in OE – Creating a sub-folder 

1.  Highlight the parent folder

            2.  File, New, Folder,   or    File, Folder, New,   or    Right Click, New Folder

3.  Type folder name (Keepers, RVRally2004, Garden Club, etc.), then click OK.

4.  Highlight any folder to show messages in right hand pane.

5.  Drag and drop any message in right hand pane to any folder in folder list in left hand pane.

Moving a message to another folder on your hard drive.

1. Create a folder on your hard drive in desired location.  Right Click, New, Folder, type folder name

2. In OE Inbox, highlight your message.  Click File, Save As.  Browse to your new folder.  Click Save.  Message will be saved as a dot-eml file, which is an email file.  This file may be retrieved into any OE when needed.

3. Messages may be dragged and dropped into any folder, in or out of OE.

Block Sender

To block all messages from someone who has just sent you a message and you no longer want to receive messages from this sender –

1. Highlight or open message.

2. Click Message on top menu bar.

3. Click Blocked Sender.

4. Blocked senders may be removed from the list if you make an error or change your mind.

a. In Inbox Window, Click Tools, Message Rules, Blocked Sender List

b. Find the name to be removed.  Click Remove.

Deleting Messages –

In any folder, select message.  Edit, Delete or Delete Icon on Toolbar.

Message may also be deleted when reading message.   Edit, Delete or Delete Icon on Toolbar.

Deleted messages go into the Deleted Items Folder which functions as a ‘trash can’.

Deleted Items Folder must be emptied periodically -Edit, Empty Deleted items Folder. 

Deleted messages may be deleted automatically - Tools, Options, Maintenance, Empty Messages from the Deleted Items Folder on Exit.

Coming Attractions: 

December:   Using and creating Stationery – Downloading Holiday Stationery

January:  What are your Options in Tools, Options?

Preparations for December  -   Practice any items below you are not proficient with.

1. Practice making new folders anywhere using the Right Click, New, Folder method
2. Practice finding opening My Documents and My Pictures folders.  Note files in each folder.  Do the file names end with a dot followed with three letters?  If not, send me an e-mail (barbres101@cox.net) and I will send you directions as to how to do this.
3. Practice highlighting files or text using the left mouse button.
4. What does the ‘browse’ icon or button look like?
5. Practice dragging and dropping files or text.
6. Right Click on the Start Button and left click Explore…    Single (left) click on several items in the right and left hand side of the window to see if you can figure out what is happening.
7. Open the folder My Computer and explain what comes up on the screen.
8. Go on to the web and open Google – www.google.com  and search for an item of interest.   If you cannot think of anything interesting, find out something about Loihi.  Or on Google, using Local, find the address of the Wal Mart Store in Bemidji, MN.
9. Use Google and find a recipe for pumpkin pie and download it or print it from the web.
10. Make note of any of the above you have problems with or cannot understand for our January session.