Bits & Bytes

Today we start a series on communication.  We are going to focus today on email.

Email Clients

If you are using a corporate email account on an Exchange server, you should be using Outlook.  In order to get the full functionality of your email, schedule, contacts, etc, Outlook is what you need.  If you have a small or medium sized business and you would like to increase your productivity and office communication, call me at (765) 374-3072 and we can help get you up and running.  This is one of PC-ER’s specialties!

For your personal email, you have several options.  First you can use Outlook Express.  Now despite it’s name, Outlook Express is not Outlook.  It has no where near the functionality of Outlook.  There is no calendar and the contact management isn’t very good.  Windows Mail is the Vista version of Outlook Express.  it’s Outlook Express updated to look like Vista.  You can download a better version called “Windows Live Mail” from microsoft.com that adds some features that are missing in Windows Mail.

We recommend Thunderbird that is mentioned in the previous “Download of the Week” post.  It is made by Mozilla just like Firefox.  Check it out!

Spam

Spam is unsolicited, bulk email.  Here are some tips to avoid getting spam.  (This is assuming you have a NEW email address, an email address that is already getting spam is almost impossible to cure.)

• Don’t put your email address on a website in raw form.  That means don’t have a link to email “you@whereever.com” directly on your site.  At PC-ER, when we design a website, we use tricks to allow users to email you from your site without giving the spammers your email address.  This is one of the many reasons why you should have your website professionally designed!  Call us for your website!
• I recommend using at least 2 email address.  Use one for your personal or business use and DON’T SIGN UP FOR ANYTHING ONLINE WITH IT!!  Only give it to people you know or your business contacts.  Get another “throw away” address at one of the free sites like yahoo.com, gmail.com, or hotmail.com.  Use that address to sign up for newsletter or online freebies.  If it gets over spammed, you can always delete it and get another one.
• Newer versions of Outlook and other email clients do not automatically display images in emails.  DO NOT change this setting!  Spammers use images to link your email address to that email thus verifying your email address for them allowing them to sell it to another spammer as a “verified” account.  Therefore, more spam is coming your way!!

Be sure to listen to us on WHBU 1240 in Anderson on Wednesdays at 6pm!

Email us with questions, comments, or show ideas at bits@pc-er.com

This week our download of the week goes with our email theme.

Thunderbird!

Thunderbird is a great email client and alternative to Outlook Express.  Check it out and tell us what you think!