E-MAIL

E-MAIL

E-mail (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-stored messages by telecommunication. E-mail messages are usually encoded in ASCII text. However, you can also send non-text files, such as graphic images and sound files, as attachments sent in binary streams. E-mail was one of the first uses of the Internet and is still the most popular use. A large percentage of the total traffic over the Internet is e-mail. E-mail can also be exchanged between online service provider users and in networks other than the Internet, both public and private.
E-mail can be distributed to lists of people as well as to individuals. A shared distribution list can be managed by using an e-mail reflector. Some mailing lists allow you to subscribe by sending a request to the mailing list administrator. A mailing list that is administered automatically is called a list server.
E-mail is one of the protocols included with the Transport Control Protocol/Internet Protocol (TCP/IP) suite of protocols. A popular protocol for sending e-mail is Simple Mail Transfer Protocol and a popular protocol for receiving it is POP3. Both Netscape and Microsoft include an e-mail utility with their Web browsers.

Advantages of Email

The benefits of e-mail are huge in number.

• Easy to use: E-mail frees us from the tedious task of managing data of daily use. It helps us to manage our contacts, send mails quickly, maintain our mail history, store the required information, etc.
• Speed: The e-mail is delivered instantly, anywhere across the globe. No other service matches the e-mail in terms of speed.
• Easy to prioritize: Since the mails have subject lines, it is easy to prioritize them and ignore unwanted mails.
• Reliable and secure: Constant efforts are being taken to improve the security in electronic mails. Thus making it one of the secured ways of communication.
• Informal and conversational: The language used in e-mails is generally simple and thus makes the communication informal. Sending and receiving e-mails takes less time, so it can be used as a tool for interaction.
• Easier for reference: When one needs to reply to a mail, there is a provision in the mailing system to attach the previous mails as references. This refreshes the recipient's knowledge, on what he is reading.
• Automated e-mails: It is possible to send automated e-mails using special programs like the autoresponders. The autoresponders reply back to the sender with generalized pre-written text messages.
• Environment friendly: Postal mails use paper as a medium to send letters. Electronic mail thus, saves a lot of trees from being axed. It also saves fuel needed in transportation.
• Use of graphics: Colorful greeting cards and interesting pictures can be sent through e-mails. This adds value to the e-mail service.
• Advertising tool: Many individuals and companies are using e-mails to advertise their products, services, etc.

Disadvantages of Email

The e-mails, though beneficial in our day-to-day life, has got its own drawbacks that are off late coming to the fore.

• Viruses: These are computer programs having the potential to harm a computer system. These programs copy themselves and further infect the computer. The recipient needs to scan the mails, as viruses are transmitted through them and have the potential to harm computer systems.
• Spam: E-mails when used to send unsolicited messages and unwanted advertisements create nuisance and is termed as Spam. Checking and deleting these unwanted mails can unnecessarily consume a lot of time, and it has become necessary to block or filter the unwanted e-mails by means of spam filters. Spamming includes, sending hoax e-mails. E-mail spoofing is another common practice, used for spamming. Spoofing involves deceiving the recipient by altering the e-mail headers or the addresses from which the mail is sent.
• Hacking: The act of breaking into computer security is termed as hacking. After the e-mail is sent and before it is received by the desired recipient, it "bounces" between servers located in different parts of the world. Hence, the e-mail can be hacked by a professional hacker.
• Misinterpretation: One has to be careful while posting any kind of content through an e-mail. If typed in a hurry, the matter could be misinterpreted.
• Lengthy mails: If the mail is too long and not properly presented the reader may lose interest in reading it.
• Not suitable for business: Since the content posted via e-mails is considered informal, there is a chance of business documents going unnoticed. Thus, urgent transactions and especially those requiring signatures are not managed through e-mails.
• Crowded inbox: Over a period of time, the e-mail inbox may get crowded with mails. It becomes difficult for the user to manage such a huge chunk of mails.

Need to check the inbox regularly: In order to be updated, one has to check his e-mail account regularly.