Chapter 2: E-Mail (1 of 6) -- What is E-Mail

    The basic concepts behind e-mail parallel those of regular mail. You
send mail to people at their particular addresses.  In turn, they write
to you at your e-mailbox address.  You can subscribe to the electronic
equivalent of magazines and newspapers. There is even electronic junk
mail.
    E-mail has two distinct advantages over regular mail.  The most
obvious is speed. Instead of several days, your message can reach the
other side of the world in hours or even minutes (depending on where you
drop off your mail and the state of the connections between there and
your recipient).  The other advantage is that once you master the basics,
you'll be able to use e-mail to access databases and file libraries.
You'll see how to do this later, along with learning how to transfer
program and data files through e-mail.
    E-mail also has advantages over the telephone.  You send your message
when it's convenient for you.  Your recipient responds at his
convenience.  No more telephone tag.  And while a phone call across the
country or around the world can quickly result in huge phone bills,
e-mail lets you exchange vast amounts of mail for only a few pennies --
even if the other person is in New Zealand.
    E-mail is your connection to help -- your Net lifeline.  The Net can
sometimes seem a frustrating place!  No matter how hard you try, no
matter where you look, you just might not be able to find the answer to
whatever is causing you problems. But when you know how to use e-mail,
help is often just a few keystrokes away: ask your system administrator
or a friend for help in an e-mail message.