It can take days to send a letter across the country and weeks to go around the world. To save time and money, more and more people are relying on electronic mail. It's fast, easy and much cheaper than the using the postal service.
What is e-mail? In its simplest form, e-mail is an electronic message
sent from one device to another. While most messages go from computer to computer, e-mail can also be sent and received by mobile phones, PDAs and other portable devices. With e-mail, you can send and receive personal and
business-related messages with attachments, such as photos or formatted
documents. You can also send music, video clips and software programs.
Let's say you have a small business with sales reps working around the
country. How do you communicate without running up a huge phone bill?
Or what about keeping in touch with far-flung family members? E-mail is
the way to go. It's no wonder e-mail has become the the Internet's most popular service.
Follow the Trail
Just as a letter makes stops at different postal stations along the way to its final destination,
e-mail passes from one computer, known as a mail server, to another
as it travels over the Internet. Once it arrives at the destination mail
server, it's stored in an electronic mailbox until the recipient retrieves
it. This whole process can take seconds, allowing you to quickly communicate
with people around the world at any time of the day or night.
Sending and Receiving Messages
To receive e-mail, you need an account on a mail server. This is
similar to having a postal box where you receive letters. One advantage
over regular mail is that you can retrieve your e-mail from any location on earth, provide that you have Internet access.
Once you connect to your mail server, you download your messages to your computer or wireless device, or read them online.
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It can take days to send a letter across the country and weeks to go around the world. To save time and money, more and more people are relying on electronic mail. It's fast, easy and much cheaper than the using the postal service.
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