There are two basic ways to create, send, and receive e-mails: with an e-mail
client and with a web-based e-mail tool:
• E-mail clients that are installed on individual machines are in wide use today.
The most popular are Microsoft Outlook/Outlook Express. E-mail clients
allow for the creation, distribution, retrieval, and storage of e-mails (as well as
some other useful features). These types of clients were originally designed so
that e-mails to and from an account could be accessed from a single machine.
E-mail clients physically move the e-mail from the e-mail server to your PC’s
hard drive. After the e-mail is downloaded, it no longer exists in the e-mail
provider’s network. The e-mail exists in your e-mail client program (on the
PC’s hard drive) until you delete it.
• Web-based e-mail tools, such as Google Mail, allow users to access their
e-mail from any machine connected to the Internet. Users log in to the website
with their registered name and password. Then they are given access to
a web-based e-mail client that has all the basic abilities of e-mail clients,
such as the ability to create, send, and receive e-mails. Many have more
advanced features, such as the ability to send and receive file attachments
and create and use address books.
Web-based e-mail tools differ from e-mail clients in that the e-mail is not
downloaded to your PC’s hard drive. It exists only on the e-mail provider’s
network until you delete it. Some people use a combination of web-based email
and e-mail clients. For example, you may use the web-based e-mail tool
to access your e-mail when you are away from home and not using your
home PC. When you are at home, you could then use your e-mail client.