Everything You Wanted to Know about Email and More

by David Danoff

Email has become central to our world and increasingly complex to manage. Members of the University community frequently have multiple email account options, and they have access to multiple mail reader programs. Some people may receive and read email at more than one account, while others forward all of their email to just one account for processing. Many mail reading programs allow the user to filter messages by separating those arriving from specific individuals or organizations into folders, and nearly all mail readers have folder options for storing and organizing messages. For some groups, the establishment of a mailing list can greatly facilitate communication among group members. Email can also bring problems: viruses, spam, hoaxes, and urban legends all proliferate via email. And email communication can present some unique difficulties when it comes to ethics and etiquette.

This article is intended to provide some straightforward and simple explanations about email accounts, mail forwarding, mail readers, filters, mailing lists, ethical and safety dimensions of email use, and more.

Email Accounts

Email, simply put, consists of electronic "packets" of data that are sent from one computer to another. The packets pass through a network, sent along from one intermediary computer to another-whether traveling just across the University, or around the world-until they arrive at the server computer with the address to which they were sent.

If you use an email account provided by Yahoo, Hotmail, or AOL, then your messages will be sent to a server maintained by one of these companies. When you access your account, via an email program such as Netscape, Outlook, or Eudora, the messages will be downloaded to your personal computer.

The University of Maryland-like most schools and corporations-provides email accounts for its staff and students. If you use an account provided by the University, your messages will be sent to a university-maintained server. You can access them via Netscape, Outlook, Eudora, etc., and they will be downloaded to your personal computer. Or you can access your account more directly by using a telnet program to log in to the server (Umail, WAM, Glue, ACCmail, DEANS, etc), and then using the resident program, you can read, write, and manage your email.

Mail Forwarding

It is possible to forward mail automatically from one account to another. To have all of the incoming mail which is sent to your university-provided WAM/Glue/Unix-Cluster account forwarded automatically to a different address (such as a Yahoo, Hotmail, or AOL address), you will need a file called ".forward" (the initial dot is essential) containing the address to which you want the mail forwarded, and the file will have to be in a particular directory of your Unix account-which will depend on which OIT Unix system your present account is located on. See http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/topics/email/general/410/ for more detailed information.

To learn how to have mail automatically forwarded from your Umail account (all faculty and staff at the University receive a Umail account upon being entered into the official University personnel system) visit http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/topics/email/systems/umail/2834/.

Mail Readers

The most popular programs for reading and managing email are Netscape Mail, Microsoft Outlook, and Outlook Express. Eudora and Simeon have been popular in the past. However, some people still prefer to read and manage their online correspondence by logging in to their Unix accounts via a telnet program.

Netscape Mail
Known as Netscape Messenger in versions prior to 6.0, this program receives the OIT Help Desk's highest recommendation for both Macintosh and PC users, and it is available for free as part of the Netscape suite (http://home.netscape.com/computing/download). This versatile program can read email from several different email accounts, it can sort messages by different criteria (such as date or subject or sender), it can filter incoming messages into different mail folders of your choice, and it can look up University faculty and staff through the online LDAP directory. The steps for configuring LDAP are different for the different email clients. Visit http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/topics/email/ for more information. The PC version can also synchronize its address book with a Palm Pilot.

Outlook
For PC users, Outlook 2000 is a powerful personal organizer program, but its email component is a frequent target of hackers and computer viruses. Some University departments advise against its use for this reason. However, the security threat can be minimized by making some configuration changes and installing the latest software updates. This takes a bit of extra work and vigilance. See http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/documents/0/879/.

Outlook 2000 shares many of the same features as Netscape Mail/Netscape Messenger, such as the ability to read email from several different email accounts, to sort messages by different criteria (such as date or subject or sender), and to filter incoming messages into different folders of your choice. Outlook 2000 is available as part of Office 2000.

Outlook Express
Like Outlook 2000, Outlook Express is a frequent target of hackers and viruses because it comes as a part of Internet Explorer, which is pre-installed on many PCs being sold today. Installing the latest patches from Microsoft will help alleviate the security problems, but, again, it takes a bit of extra work and vigilance to keep the program secure.

Outlook Express is slightly more limited in its abilities than Netscape Mail/Netscape Messenger, allowing the user to filter incoming messages from the mail server only to mail folders on the hard drive (whereas Netscape will let you filter the messages to folders on your hard drive OR to online mail folders in your email account), but otherwise it is a fully-functional email program.

The Macintosh version is capable of handling multiple email accounts and identities, searching and sorting email messages, filtering email based on certain criteria into other mail folders, and looking up faculty and staff through the University online directory.

Eudora
While Eudora shares some of the features of other more robust email clients, such as the ability to set up multiple identities and to read and manage email from different accounts, the advertising mechanism that comes with the free download version generates distracting pop-up ads and slows down performance. Eudora has also stated that eventually the free version will require a user to submit profile information to the company to help target advertising. Because of these issues, the Help Desk recommends that Eudora users consider changing to one of the recommended email clients.

Simeon/Execmail
Although some people still use it, Simeon has very limited email filtering abilities, it can't sort messages to other mail folders, it can't import address books from other email programs, and it doesn't work with the University online directory. The last version of Simeon, called Execmail, only works on Windows computers. Recently it was announced that the company that created Simeon and Execmail would no longer be supporting these products, and no more versions are planned. The Help Desk recommends that Simeon/Execmail users change to one of the recommended email clients.

Pine
Pine (Program for Internet News & Email) is a basic, easy-to-use program for reading and managing email messages and Usenet postings, created at the University of Washington to run in a Unix environment (although versions are now available for Windows-based PCs, as well). It was designed with the novice computer user in mind, but it can also be tailored to meet the needs of more advanced users. The interface is intentionally straightforward and basic, with a high tolerance for user mistakes. The user is expected to be able to learn by exploration rather than by reading manuals or lengthy on-screen help guides or tutorials (although help screens are provided within the program, if needed).

Simplicity is both Pine's major attraction and its major drawback. Mail can be saved and organized into multiple folders, but it can be difficult to download the saved mail to your desktop computer. Email addresses can be saved and organized into address books, but the process is not always as intuitive or easy as with Netscape or Outlook. The Pine interface is text-based, not graphical; there are no animated buttons to select with the mouse, or customizable floating menus, or other bells and whistles. If a URL is included in an email message you receive, you can't click on it and jump directly to the web page if you're using Pine. Receiving or sending emails with file attachments can be hard to manage-although this also means that Pine is virtually impervious to computer viruses.

Filters

It is possible to set up automatic filters to keep email from certain individuals or certain sources out of your mailbox, or to automatically sort certain types of messages into certain folders. Netscape provides the option via the Edit menu, Outlook via the Tools menu (and calls them "Message Rules"), and Eudora via the Tools menu (on a PC) or Special menu (on a Mac).

If you read your email with Pine, you will need to use the mail-filtering program Procmail to filter out unwanted messages directly in Unix. The Help Desk provides specific, detailed instructions for how to do this. Go to http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/systems/cluster/all/3866/.

Mailing Lists

A mail reflector is a single address on an email system that is mapped to a list of email addresses. Mail sent to the reflector address will be re-sent (reflected) to all of the addresses on the list. For example, all email sent to the reflector oit@umail.umd.edu is re-sent to the 5 OIT staff members who make up the team that responds to these messages. A reflector can be established quickly and easily on any Umail account, for purposes related to the University. Addresses can be added to the reflector only by the list-owner. However, anyone who knows about the reflector address can send mail to it, and the mail will then be distributed to everyone on the list-making a mail reflector somewhat prone to hoaxes and spam. Requests for reflectors can be made via the Umail Maintenance Service web site located at http://cgi.umd.edu/umail.

A Listserv List is similar to a mail reflector in that it is a single email address representing a list of other email addresses, such that mail sent to the single address will be re-distributed to all of the addresses on the list. However, there are some differences: the owner of a listserv list can retain control of who subscribes, or he or she can allow members to subscribe and remove themselves; a list can be set up to allow free posting, or to restrict posting to members-only in order to prevent unwanted outside mail; and a list can have all messages archived automatically, for later viewing or reviewing. A new listserv list can be requested only by faculty and staff members, and only for academic purposes. Listserv lists are maintained on the listserv.umd.edu mainframe, although the owner of a list can manage it via email from whatever machine he or she prefers. For more information, visit http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/topics/email/lists/.

Ethical and Safety Dimensions of Email

Email Etiquette
Email is a unique medium of communication, with unique possibilities and problems. Because email can be so easily forwarded, copied, printed, or misdirected, you shouldn't put anything in an email message that you wouldn't want read in public, shouted from rooftops, printed in the newspaper, displayed on billboards, etc. If you receive a message intended for someone else, let the sender know.

Email has a hard time conveying the subtleties of voice or body language. Attempts at irony, sarcasm, or humor can fall flat. ("Emoticons"-those little sideways smiley or frowny faces which you may have seen-are an attempt to add emotional nuance to email.) The most effective email is short, clear, and to-the-point. If you receive a message that upsets you, don't respond immediately; don't give in to the temptation to "flame" the sender with an angry or rude message.

Many people automatically append a short "signature file" to the end of their emails. This can include name, professional affiliation, contact information, disclaimers ("Views expressed are not necessarily those of XYZ Enterprises"), or sometimes other more personal material-such as an inspirational or humorous quote, information about hobbies, etc.-intended to reveal something about the sender to any and all recipients. Signature files are useful, but they can also become annoying if they grow too long, too cute, or too personal. Keep them short, clear, and to-the-point.

Email and Computer Viruses
Computer viruses are programs designed to spread themselves by first infecting the files of a computer and then making copies of themselves and sending the copies to other computers. Some viruses merely reproduce and propagate themselves, others may be programmed to create a nuisance or perform pranks (such as popping up silly or vulgar messages or changing the colors of your monitor), while others are programmed to do serious damage (such as reformatting your hard drive or deleting all the system files). One type of virus is known as a "Trojan Horse" because it pretends to be a normal, harmless, helpful program, but when you run it on your computer it does something unexpected-such as gathering the passwords or personal data you type in and sending them to criminals out on the Internet.

Viruses often spread via email, especially since convenient email-reading programs such as Microsoft Outlook have become more popular. Plain text email messages can't contain viruses, and you can't receive a virus just by opening an email and looking at it in a plain text-reading program like Pine. But file attachments-especially if your email program is designed to automatically open them and save them to your hard drive-can be a different story. Once your computer is infected, the virus may automatically send copies of itself to everyone listed in your email address book-all of your friends, family, and colleagues-thus perpetuating the cycle of infection.

In order to avoid being infected, you should be careful about opening attachments. Be especially careful if they come from people you don't know, or if they come from people you know but you weren't expecting the files and they don't seem to make any sense (e.g., "Why would my professor be sending me pictures of Snow White? Oh, well....").

You should also maintain powerful, up-to-date anti-virus software on your computer at all times. Because new viruses are constantly appearing, it's very important that you update the software regularly! Even if you have an anti-virus program already installed on your computer, if it doesn't know to look out for the latest types of viruses it won't do you much good when you get infected.

OIT's Virus Notification Program and Software Licensing Office offer anti-virus software to all University students, faculty, and staff. The software is free if you download it, or it will cost $10 if you purchase it on CD. Visit the Virus Notification Program web site, http://www.helpdesk.umd.edu/virus/, to learn how to download, install, and update the software. You will be able to keep the anti-virus software even after you leave the University.

The Virus Notification Program offers more tips for ways to protect against viruses at http://helpdesk.umd.edu/virus/other.shtml.

Chain Letters, Hoaxes, and Urban Legends
Because email is so easy to send, and to send to a large number of people at once, it offers a natural breeding ground for all sorts of chain letters, scams, hoaxes (false virus reports, etc.), and urban legends. These messages are received and forwarded by well-meaning individuals, who either do not realize or do not care that they are simply perpetuating an annoyance. If you receive one of these messages, be suspicious-and check it out BEFORE you send it along to others. There are many online sites that catalog and debunk the many hoaxes, scams, and urban legends that have made the rounds. Here are some top picks from Dick Atlee of OIT User Support Services:

• Computer Virus Myths at http://vmyths.com -an excellent source, easy to use, with a good search tool, not limited to viruses.
• US DOE Computer Incident Advisory Capability (CIAC) Hoax-Busters team at http://HoaxBusters.ciac.org.
• The Mining Company, Urban Legends section at http://urbanlegends.miningco.com -David Emery, the "guide" here, does a wonderful job of researching and analyzing email messages with hoax potential.
• The AFU and Urban Legends Page at http://www.urbanlegends.com -The AFU (alt.folklore.urbanlegends) Usenet newsgroup is the "official" repository and discussion location for these stories. This compendium is very well organized.