How to master your email account

To communicate effectively by email, you need to know some principles. Simply follow the below detailed information through this guide to know all the basics about electronic messaging (email).

Fast and free, electronic mail is gradually becoming our main means of written communication. I must say it is not without advantages: fast writing, devoid of spelling errors with the correction included, it is shipped in one click and reaches its destination within seconds. It can be formatted, illustrated with images and sounds, along with attached documents and sent to multiple people at once, and all for free.

To those who do not control all functions of email, we offer a detailed usage of the two most used tools: Windows Live Hotmail and Windows Mail. But before you start, take the time to read our explanation of the fundamental difference between these two tools.

Windows Live Hotmail: the mail online

Like Gmail, Yahoo! Orange Mail or Mail, Windows Live Hotmail is a webmail, that is to say, a mail handler in line. This is not software but a site: everything is done through the web page at the host using a web browser. You can access your mailbox from any PC connected to the Internet, simply by typing your username and password. Emails are not downloaded, your hard drive is not cluttered and your mail is protected from the host.

Windows Mail: the mail to home

Windows Mail is part of the software included in Windows Vista. It is the successor to Outlook Express (comes with XP) which it closely resembles. A new, more complete version of Windows Live Mail is available for Vista and XP on http://download.live.com/wlmail. With Windows Mail, while checking your emails, they are downloaded by default on your hard drive. Your messages remain readable even if you're not connected to the Internet.

The main components of an email

1. Recipient address

It is the only indispensable element: indeed, even devoid of purpose and content, e-mail will reach its destination if the address is correct. If the address is already in your directory, or if you have already used, you do not have to enter the entire thing: from the first letters typed, the message you made suggestions in which you don't have more to draw. You can enter multiple addresses in the "To:" field separated by semicolons.

2. Copying

In the Cc: field (for carbon copy), you enter the addresses to which you want to send a copy of the email. Without being the main recipients, the person will receive the message and be kept informed.

3. Hidden copy

Bcc: (for blind carbon copy) functions as the CC field, with one difference: each address contained therein is visible to the recipient. You pass a copy of the message to one or more persons without the main recipient knowing about it. In addition, the privacy of each recipient contained therein is respected because its address is not revealed to others. By default, the Bcc field does not appear in the interface.

To view in Windows Live Hotmail, click Cc/Bcc.