Computer Fundamentals
Shambhunath Institue of Engineering & Technology
Unit-7
E-MAIL
Basic of Electronic mails-
Electronic mail, commonly known as email, is a method of exchanging messages over the
internet. Here are the basics of email:
An email address: This is a unique identifier for each user, typically in the format of
[email protected].
An email client: This is a software program used to send, receive and manage emails, such
as Gmail, Outlook, or Apple Mail.
An email server: This is a computer system responsible for storing and forwarding emails to
their intended recipients.
To send an email:
1. Compose a new message in your email client.
2. Enter the recipient’s email address in the “To” field.
3. Add a subject line to summarize the content of the message.
4. Write the body of the message.
5. Attach any relevant files if needed.
6. Click “Send” to deliver the message to the recipient’s email server.
7. Emails can also include features such as cc (carbon copy) and bcc (blind carbon copy) to
send copies of the message to multiple recipients, and reply, reply all, and forward
options to manage the conversation.
Electronic Mail (e-mail) is one of most widely used services of Internet. This service allows an
Internet user to send a message in formatted manner (mail) to the other Internet user in any
part of world. Message in mail not only contain text, but it also contains images, audio and
videos data. The person who is sending mail is called sender and person who receives mail is
called recipient. It is just like postal mail service. Components of E-Mail System : The basic
components of an email system are : User Agent (UA), Message Transfer Agent (MTA), Mail
Box, and Spool file. These are explained as following below.
1. User Agent (UA) : The UA is normally a program which is used to send and receive mail.
Sometimes, it is called as mail reader. It accepts variety of commands for composing,
receiving and replying to messages as well as for manipulation of the mailboxes.
2. Message Transfer Agent (MTA) : MTA is actually responsible for transfer of mail from
one system to another. To send a mail, a system must have client MTA and system MTA.
It transfer mail to mailboxes of recipients if they are connected in the same machine. It
delivers mail to peer MTA if destination mailbox is in another machine. The delivery
from one MTA to another MTA is done by Simple Mail Transfer
Protocol.
Computer Fundamentals
Shambhunath Institue of Engineering & Technology
3. Mailbox : It is a file on local hard drive to collect mails. Delivered mails are present in
this file. The user can read it delete it according to his/her requirement. To use e-mail
system each user must have a mailbox . Access to mailbox is only to owner of mailbox.
4. Spool file : This file contains mails that are to be sent. User agent appends outgoing
mails in this file using SMTP. MTA extracts pending mail from spool file for their delivery.
E-mail allows one name, an alias, to represent several different e-mail addresses. It is
known as mailing list, Whenever user have to sent a message, system checks recipient’s
name against alias database. If mailing list is present for defined alias, separate
messages, one for each entry in the list, must be prepared and handed to MTA. If for
defined alias, there is no such mailing list is present, name itself becomes naming
address and a single message is delivered to mail transfer entity.
Services provided by E-mail system :
1. Composition – The composition refer to process that creates messages and answers.
For composition any kind of text editor can be used.
2. Transfer – Transfer means sending procedure of mail i.e. from the sender to recipient.
3. Reporting – Reporting refers to confirmation for delivery of mail. It help user to check
whether their mail is delivered, lost or rejected.
4. Displaying – It refers to present mail in form that is understand by the user.
5. Disposition – This step concern with recipient that what will recipient do after receiving
mail i.e save mail, delete before reading or delete after reading.
Advantages Or Disadvantages:
Advantages of email:
Convenient and fast communication with individuals or groups globally.
Easy to store and search for past messages.
Ability to send and receive attachments such as documents, images, and videos.
Cost-effective compared to traditional mail and fax.
Available 24/7.
Disadvantages of email:
Risk of spam and phishing attacks.
Overwhelming amount of emails can lead to information overload.
Can lead to decreased face-to-face communication and loss of personal touch.
Potential for miscommunication due to lack of tone and body language in written
messages.
Technical issues, such as server outages, can disrupt email service.
It is important to use email responsibly and effectively, for example, by keeping the
subject line clear and concise, using proper etiquette, and protecting against security
threats.
Viewing of an email:
Use quick settings to change conversation view. View up to 100 messages or conversations
per screen (web view). In Gmail conversation threads, the newest message is at the bottom.
Computer Fundamentals
Shambhunath Institue of Engineering & Technology
Learn how
Open Gmail.
At the top right, click Settings See all settings.
Scroll to Conversation view.
Select Conversation view on or Conversation view off.
Tip: The settings are also available in the Quick settings sidebar. Click Settings , then scroll
to the Email Threading section at the bottom of the Quick settings sidebar.
Difference between CC and BCC :
S.No. CC BCC
1 It stands for Carbon Copy. It stands for Blind Carbon Copy.
2 In CC, all recipients will be able to Whereas, in BCC none of the recipients will
see each other mail address. be able to see each other mail address.
3 Using CC, we can keep management Using BCC, we can ensure the privacy of
and employees in the loop. management and employees’ mail address.
4 Every recipient will get all additional Here recipient will not get any additional
responses to the email. responses until we forward the mail to them
5 It permits recipients to know with Here, recipients don’t have any idea with
whom the mail is being shared. whom mail is being shared.
6. CC is most preferred for keeping the BCC is most preferred for keeping the mass
stakeholders informed. emails and email lists.
7. CC makes your email list to be BCC makes your email list to be invisible to
visible to all recipients. all recipients.
8. with CC, you can loops everyone with BCC, you can not be included in email
into an ongoing thread. responses.
