Exercise
UNIT 16: Outlook Express — Managing E-Mail Accounts Table of Contents
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UNIT 16: Outlook Express — Managing E-Mail Accounts
1.0 Introduction
Outlook Express allows you to use and manage an unlimited amount of e-mail accounts. For example, you can have a business e-mail account and a home e-mail account separate from each other.
2.0 Objectives
At the end of this Unit you should be able to:
Manage your e-mail account to Outlook;
Explain the function of Post Office Protocol (POP) and (SMTF);
Customize Outlook to suit your Simple Mail Transfer Protocol tastes.
3.1 Post Office Protocol (POP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTF)
To send and receive messages, you must have an account on a computer running a POP (Post Office Protocol) server and access to a computer running.an SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) server. Both these protocols often run on the same server. Your incoming e -mail messages are delivered to your POP account, where Outlook picks them up and transfers them to your PC. Your outgoing messages are sent to the SMTP server, which delivers them to your recipients.
3.2 Adding a New E-mail Account
If you have a new installation of Outlook or if you are using a version that has not been set up for you personally, you will need to configure it. When Outlook is configured properly, it connects to your Internet Service Provider (1SP), uses your e-mail address and automatically includes your name with e-mail messages you send. To add a new e-mail account, select Tools, Accounts ... and the Mail tab. The box below displays the e-mail accounts you have registered with Outlook. To add an account, click on Add, Mail ...
Fig. 16.1
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Microsoft Exchange Server Microsoft LDAP Directory Microsoft Mail
MS Outlook support for Lotus cc:I...lad Outlook Address Book
Personal Address Book
Exercise 1
State why you need more than one e-mail account.
Several e-mail accounts will enable you effectively manage your time and mails. The Post Office Protocol handles all your incoming e-mails while all the outgoing messages are handled by the Simple Mail Transfer Protocol.
Next, follow the on screen prompts to fill out your display name, e-mail address and your POP3 and SMTP account names. Usually, it is your domain name preceded by "mail." For example, an e-mail address of "[email protected]" will typically have a POP3 and SMTP server name of "mail.yahoo.com" (without the quotations). Again, you will have to check with your ISP for the exact name. Next, you will have to fill in your account name (usually your username) and your password. If you place a check mark in the "remember password" box, you will not be prompted for the password every time Outlook checks for or sends e-mail.
Exercise 2
State the functions of the Post Office Protocol (POP) and Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP).
Fig. 16.2
When you are done, click Next, then Finish. If, at any point after this, you have to make changes to these settings, simply go back to Tools. Accounts ... Highlight the e-mail account you wish to configure and click on Properties.
3.3 Managing/Deleting Accounts
To remove an account, select the account (by clicking 01) it) and click the Remove button. You will then be asked if you would like to remove this service. If you would like to, click Yes and if notslick No.
If you would like to modify the settings for the account, select the account by clicking on it and clicking the Properties button.
Fig. 16.3
3.4 Configuring the Options Screen
The Options screen lets you configure how often the programme checks for new e-mail, how it displays the messages, your signature and security settings, among other things. Simply select Tools, Options to access these configuration screens. The default settings are usually good enough but you may want to customize Outlook to suit your tastes.
An option that you should be aware of is the Mail Sending Format. This option can be found under the Send Tab in the Options Menu. The choices are HTML or Plain Text. Sending mail in FITML form allows you to send more complex e-mails with varying fonts styles, sizes and background pictures. Unfortunately, only other e-mail programmes with these features can see them; otherwise, the recipients will see only garbled text as the content of their e-mail. Sending a plain text e-mail lets you send an e-mail without background pictures and only with the default font; however, the e-mail can be read by all e-mail programmes. In order to ensure compatibility, it is recommended that you set the option to Plain text to ensure the e-mails you send are viewed properly by others, since many people still use basic e-mail programmes.
Fig. 16.4:
4.0 Conclusion
You must provide basic information about your account, servers and network connection before you can send and receive messages with Outlook Express. You can configure Outlook Express using your e-mail address, so that it connects to your Internet Service Provider (ISP). If you have more than one e-mail account, you have to add it to Outlook Express account. Outlook Express allows you to configure how it checks for new e-mail, how it displays the messages, your signature and security settings, among other things.
5.0 Summary
In this unit we were able to explain that to send and receive messages, you must have an account on a computer running a POP server and access to a computer running an SMTP. We have looked at how you can configure your Outlook Express to your taste and how to effectively manage your numerous e-mail accounts.
6.0 References and Suggestion for Further Reading
OpenContent License (http://www.opencontentord/), WWWmetrics (http://wwwwwwmetrics.com)
Med iametrix (http://www.mediametrix.com/data/thetopfip) Microsoft word (http:/lwww.tnicrosoft corn)
7.0 Tutor-Marked Assignment
Question
State why you would want to configure your screen option.