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Have you ever.......
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Sent a message to mailing lists you keep on
your computer?
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Sent photos or movie clips to friends over
the internet?
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Sent attachments (enclosures) with your email
messages?
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Used your computer on the internet without
an up to date virus checking program?
If so, you COULD be an email DORK and
may have caused lots of problems for people to
whom
you
have sent email.
If you use Microsoft Outlook,
you've probably caused some grief to all the
people
in your address book, as discussed below.
Enclosures can be a HUGE problem
Files attached to email messages can be a huge
problem if they aren't used properly.
Document or graphic files can easily be 5 or
10 megabytes in size.
Most people aren't even aware of the size of
the files that they are sending. All they know
is that it's taking an AWFUL long time to send
that message - maybe an hour or two. And they
curse their computers, their ISP, and everyone
else they can think of because it is taking
so
long.
And it's even worse for the people that receive
their messages.
Unless they know what to do about it, their incoming
mail is clogged up for maybe an hour or two until
that huge attachment is downloaded. They can't
receive anything else until your message has been
downloaded.
The email system was intended to transmit short
text messages, not for transferring huge amounts
of data. Use it sensibly - keep messages short,
and only send large enclosures if you have pre
arranged it with the recipient.
Many companies and ISP's reject messages
over a certain size, and your huge message won't
even be delivered.
Do you have a current Virus Checker?
If you use the internet and don't have a current
virus checker, it's highly likely that that your
computer is running one or more programs that
can harm your computer, and the computers of everyone
in your address book.
If you have a virus or worm on your computer
and use Microsoft Outlook or Outlook Express as
your email program, then it's almost certain that
that you have unknowingly sent messages to your
contacts and friends without your knowledge.
These messages have probably infected THEIR
computers, and caused them to send out messages
to people on THEIR mailing lists. This is how
viruses and worms spread so rapidly. Almost all
destructive programs spread by email are specifically
written for Outlook, and do not affect users of
other email programs.
Have a look at the
software we use for suggestions about virus
checking and alternative email programs.
6 Steps To Using Email Effectively
Here's 6 simple things you can do to use email
more effectively, and reduce frustration levels
for yourself and the people to whom you send messages.
- 1. Use the BCC field when sending
messages to your mailing lists. You could
be breaking privacy laws if you don't. (...more)
- 2. DO use plain text email to send
out information about meetings or events. Sending
out huge attachments is inconsiderate and just
plain bad manners.
- 3. DO be aware of what you are doing
when you send pictures as attachments. If you
send
pictures from CD's that have been made from
your photos, be aware of the file sizes involved.
Sending
and email with 5 megabytes of attachments
can take an hour or so, and the person receiving
the
email will probably have to wait a similar
time to collect your mail message.
- 4. DO set your email program to collect
only the messages under a size you specify
- say
100K. Messages below this size will be downloaded
quickly, and you'll be given the option of
whether
to download or delete any larger ones. This
is a good way to prevent your mailbox from
being
clogged up by large files that you may not
even want.
- 5. DO get a good antivirus program
that scans your incoming email attachments
for viruses.
- 6. DON'T send attachments to anyone
without their knowledge. It has become normal
internet practice for people to delete emails
with unexpected attachments, because of the
risk of installing harmful programs on their
computers.
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