12. E-mail at a Glance: Replying to Messages

After you've read a message, you may want to respond.

• The window with the e-mail you are reading typically has a Reply button. Click this button to open a new window. The To and Subject lines are automatically filled in with the e-mail address of the sender and the subject of the message.


• You might also have a Reply To All or similar button that also opens a new window. In this case, all the addresses in the CC list are included in the To and CC lines.


• In some programs, the original message appears automatically. Other programs have a Quote or Include Original Message button. By clicking this button, the text of the original e-mail appears in the body of the reply, usually marked in a different font or color, or with a special character, such as the greater than sign (>) at the beginning of each line.


• You can choose to place your reply before or after the original text.


• To respond to a series of ideas or questions, intersperse your reply with the original text. Typically, your replies appear in a different color or font, making it easier to identify.