The open "Mailbox", by default always opening in the "Inbox". Select desired mail item in the upper "Indexing" pane, read it in the lower "Viewing" pane. You can change the size of these panes by placing the mouse cursor on the center devider until you see a "double headed arrow", hold down the "left" mouse button, and "drag".

The Mailbox "Inbox", viewed in small window, clicking the icon between the upper right minus sign ( - ) and the (X) would make it full screen. Note the upper most "main" menu line with "File", "Edit", "View", etc. which will offer all functions. But a faster way is using the next lower "icon" line, beginning with "Get Message", for checking for new e-mail, same as the lower right screen "tiny envelope icon". The next icon, "New Message", will bring up a new blank form for compiling a new message and sending it. When this window is expanded to "full screen" this "icon line" will show more icons, including "Delete".

To send a new message, click the upper left "New Message" icon, producing the blank form as shown below . . .

Preparing a new message requires only three basic steps, an Address, a Subject title (not required but you will be prompted if no Subject is listed), and the Main Body of your message. These areas are known normally as form "fields". Note the partially visible auto entered signature line.

The mouse cursor must be blinking in any given field before you can type in it. Select any field by "left" clicking it with the mouse. You can also move in order to the "next field" by pressing the keyboard "Tab" key", the easist way when you are typing text anyway. These functions are also pretty basic and much the same through out the Windows operating system.

If your address book is current (explained below) you can address from it. If not you must manually type in the address. Next type in a Subject title, Hello, or what ever is appropriate. Finally type your message or letter. There is no limitation on length. A lengthy subject is actually easier handled if you type it in another program, such as Wordpad or any word processor, then copy it and paste into your e-mail. Using "Copy and Paste" is a very basic Windows concept, but understood only by the minority of computer users, those that truly understand Computer Basics. There is much reference to learning Computer Basics on the main "Internet Guide" page.

You can produce nice effects in your mail by using Netscape's standard mail editing functions, such as "Font Size", "Bold", "Italic", etc., all available by first selecting the desired text area, holding down the "left" mouse button, dragging, (selection will change color) then clicking on desired function icons. Use the "Spelling" icon to double check the entire message and add any special words to your personal "user" dictionary.

When your e-mail message is complete, all that remains is clicking the "Send" button. The "Send" button is near the upper left corner of the e-mail form. By default, there will be a copy filed in your "Sent" folder. To confirm this click the "tiny navigation down arrow" to the right of the "Inbox" name, and click on the "Sent" folder.

You can also send a CC (carbon copy) of any message to any other e-mail address on the same Send function. After addressing, but prior to sending, click the next box under Address, once, then again, producing the CC function. It can also be addressed manually or from the address book.

You can easily reply to any message received. Make sure the correct message is selected, then from the upper "icon line" click on the "Reply" icon. The Address and Subject are auto entered, just type your reply and Send.

Address Book - Making new entries and addressing messages

The address book is accessed from the upper most menu line, and the "Communicator" button, from either the "Navigator browser" or the "Mailbox" After clicking on "Communicator", down a ways on the context menu, click on "Address Book". It will appear as in the image below . . .

Note the first line is the standard menu line found in the browser or "Mailbox, The next line, the "icon line" is for address book use. The first icon is titled "New Card" and used for making new entries in your address book. As always terminology is subject to the whims of the developer. The next icon titled "New List" is for compiling a mailing list. Learning how to use the address book first will make learning the "New List" much easier.

It is very easy to add to the address book, first click on "New Card", producing the next image . . .

Note the several blank fields in the address "New Card". They are all optional with the exception of a name and an e-mail address. Probably the most simple and efficient method of use is to use the "First Name:" box for (last name, first name) which will index alphabetically by last name, and placing the correct e-mail address in the "E-Mail Address:" box. At this point close the form with it's upper right (X) You can continue entering "New Cards" and close the address book functions when ready.

A tip . . . place your self in your address book. Sending yourself e-mail is the easiest way to experiment and learn all functions.

The easiest part, addressing a new message once your address book is current. Notice the "Address icon", just above the "address field", below in the new mail form . . .

Click the "Address icon" producing the address book as in the example image below . . .

You can scroll down looking for your alphabatized address, or simply type in part of the name in the "upper left search box" (it has no name). After finding your addressee, left click it, then click on "To:", ( select CC for Carbon Copy the same way) and it will appear in the lower "Message will be sent to:" box. Finally click the lower "OK" and you will return to your new waiting message with the "Address field" (or CC Carbon Copy field) completed.

E-Mail Attachments
Sending/Receiving image files or documents.

The Attach function is accessed from the "Attach icon," a paper clip image, which is next to the "Address icon". Any type file can be sent as an attachment, all types of image or picture files as well as all types of document files. The first consideration is the "file type". You must remember that it takes different type software programs to open different file types. Your recipient must have the software necessary to open any given file type you may send. An exception is image files of the .gif or .jpg type, which are Internet picture files and may viewed right in the e-mail message. File types are determined by their (typical dot 3 character extention, such as myimage.gif. There are hundreds of other different image file types, all requiring their own software program to run. And there is probably hundreds of document file types also requiring their own program to run. And different e-mail programs handle file attachments in different ways, with many variable factors to consider.

The second consideration . . . is file size, the larger the file the longer to send or receive, which also relates to any given computer or modem speed. In general any file near a full Megabyte is approaching excessiveness. However usually the file importance takes priority regardless of size and speed. Common image files such as the .gif or .jpg are small in size and send well. A very common image type file is the .bmp (bitmap), the standard file used in Windows 95/98 Paint program. But the .bmp can be huge in file size. The best way to handle .bmp files for attachment is to first convert the file to a .gif or .jpg file greatly reducing it's file size. This can be easily done with programs such as PaintShop Pro download available as shareware, Corel Photo Shop, and other image software. When "Saving as a file", personal computer navigation knowledge is necessary to avoid wondering "where is that file?" Computer Navigation is another element of Computer Basics.

Document files are usually much smaller in file size than image files. A good document file for attaching is the file created by Wordpad, a .doc file type. It also can be opened with Microsoft Word. Another is the .wpd file, created with WordPerfect but would require WordPerfect on the receiving end. An exception to this requirement is many word processor programs will convert other word processor program files (as do certain image programs). The safe way . . . exchanging ineformation between the sender and the receiver.

As mentioned earlier, .gif and .jpg image file types are viewable right from the e-mail message. Most other attachments must be either opened from the e-mail message automatically by associated software or "saved as a file" from the e-mail message and opened independently with associated software. "Associated" meaning only software for that given file type.

To "Open" or "Save" an e-mail attached file only requires proper clicking and selection with the mouse buttons. Often either button will work, producing a context menu with further options, requiring only your navigational experience. The "left" button will usually produce a menu with "Open" or "Save to disk" options. The "right" click will produce the standard context menu with several items, including "Delete" and "File" referring to the main messsage rather than the attachment. Near this menu top use "Save Link As" to save the attachment to a folder on your hard drive. You even have the option of changing the file name. You will then have to navigate to that file with the necesssary software program in order to open and view it.

To assist you in handling received e-mail attachments, and as is likely you will have need to insruct your attachment recipients we have first covered "Receiving and Opening or Saving" e-mail attachments. Sending attachments is the easy part . . .

As first mentioned click on the "Attach" icon, found in the "New Message" form, next to the "Address" icon, producing a "drop down" menu with "File" at the top. Click on "File", which will produce the following navigational menu...

Note this navigational menu is titled "Enter file to attach". It is worthy of mention to say, here as through out the Windows operating system, and all software programs, it is assumed that you understand computer basics, more specifically in this case, Computer Navigation.

With this in mind, note the Windows Explorer (in Windows 95/98, meaning file manager) display has opened on the C: drive. If your file for attachment is on C: drive, double click the applicable folder which will open it and expose the inside files. So you must have previous knowledge of where on your computer the desired file resides. If it were on a drive other than C: drive you would click the tiny "navigation down arrow" and change drives. For example to possibly your diskettte drive which is A: or a second hard drive or CD-ROM disk. Hard drive letters begin with C: and progress alphabetically depending on how many you may have. The CD-ROM drive is the next letter after all hard drives. If you only have a C: drive, the CD-ROM is D: drive.

In this case we will attach a .gif file named gifts.gif, and it resides on C: drive, in the Work folder. "Double" left clicking the Work folder will open it as displayed in the next image below . . .

"Double" left" clicking the gifts.gif file will select it, place it in the e-mail message, and return you to the e-mail message, all in one operation. The image below shows the gifts.jpg in place ready to send . . .

All that remains, make sure the recipient e-mail address is correct, a Subject title is entered, your message is complete, and then click on "Send". Below is shown the results as received by the recipient . . .

Note the "paperclip" icon in the message heading, indicating that a file is attached. As mentioned earlier, a .gif image file such as this one, is viewable from the e-mail message. The file, although viewable in the message, can be extracted or "Saved" from the message to any folder on your computer for other use. From the e-mail message, "right" click the image producing a context menu, followed with a "left" click on the menu item, "Save Image As...".

Following is an image section showing two attachments in the same message, the types of which must be "Opened" or Saved", by using functions from either mouse button. Numbers of attachments for a single message is unlimited, and constrained only relative to sending/receiving time and speed.

As displayed below, typical file attachments can be "Opened" or "Saved" with a "left" mouse button context menu. This menu is referring to the "test.doc" attachment. Note it is described in the e-mail as a Microsoft Word Document (because it is a .doc file) although it will be opened by Wordpad. The "Warning" message on the upper border, would lead one to believe this file is a "suspect problem" when in reality it is just a simple .doc file. An example of the current state of undue Internet paranoia. Caution is always in order, but good judgement usually prevails.

The next image down shows the program that will be used to open the relative .bmp (bitmap) file. By default it will be Mspaint in Windows 95/98. Most programs are automatically "associated" with their respective file type upon their installation. Any file type that is not "associated" can be associated in the Windows 95/98 "Windows Explorer" in the "View" menu, then "Folder Options", under "File Types". Any association that is made can be changed at will in the same Windows Explorer section. Some programs will change file association with out warning, during their installation. On this computer system, the default program for opening .bmp files is Mspaint. If, for example Corel Photo Shop were installed, it would change the default for opening .bmp and other image file types to Corel Photo Shop. It could be changed back in Windows Explorer.