Definition of Electronic Mail

Electronic mail, or e-mail, is the online version of composing a letter and mailing it from a post office. Numerous people have become so dedicated to using e-mail that if it were suddenly taken away, there would be some major repercussions throughout the world.

Many retail e-mail software packages exist, as well as numerous free ones that can be downloaded from the Internet. Although each suite offers its own unique features, all of them typically offer the following services:

#1. Creating an email message.
#2. Sending an email message.
#3. Receiving and storing email messages.
#4. Attaching files to an email message.

Almost all email applications contain two primary parts: the User Agent, which allows a user to create, edit, store, and forward email messages; and the Message Transfer Agent, the part of the application that actually prepares and transfers the message. In addition, each email contains two basic components: An 'envelope' that contains relevant information about the email (date, sender, etc.) and the message itself.

Most email applications only allow you to write only in plain text and simple ASCII characters. If you need to send a graphical file (e.g. Word letter or Excel spreadsheet), then the program attaches the file to the email as a MIME, or Multipurpose Internet Mail Extension.

Once the email is completely ready to go, it must be sent. This is accomplished through SMTP. STMP, or Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, is a protocol standard for sending and receiving email through the Internet. The application uses SMTP to establish a connection to the destination server. The destination server operates what is known as a daemon. A daemon is a program that runs 24/7 in the background, and is equipped to handle SMTP transactions. The daemon will accept the connection, retrieve the email, and then distribute it to the appropriate mailbox.

How often do you receive email even when your computer is off? You turn on your computer, run your email application, and discover that you have received new messages. POP3, or Post Office Protocol Language, allows users to store email on an email server, and then download them when convenient. POP3 is a very useful tool if you are running on a network that isn't connected to the Internet 24/7.

Another option is IMAP, or Internet Message Access Protocol. With IMAP, emails are stored on an online server. But, instead of having to download your email, you can first review the emails by their envelope to determine if the email is important. If you decide to read the entire message, you can then download the whole email directly to your computer.

Many email applications also allow users to encrypt their messages. This makes it impossible for unauthorized users to read your email. Only somebody with the proper 'key' can un-encrypt the message.

The most popular email programs are Yahoo Mail and Gmail. They can be accessed for free from a simple web browser. However, space is limited to only 1 or 2 gigs. For unlimited space, you must pay for an upgrade.

Electronic mail is an incredible invention that has revolutionized how we communicate. Email as its most basic form is merely the distribution of letters through the Internet. Put away the paper and stamps, it's time to send some email!