Internet e-mail service

There are two ways to get e-mail over the Internet. One is by using a mail program that is installed in your computer, and the other is Web-based e-mail that is accessible from any Web browser. Most of the time, you can get your mail via both methods.

The E-Mail Client
The use of a mail program (also known as a "mail client" or "e-mail client") such as Outlook, Eudora or Thunderbird is the traditional approach. The advantage of such programs is that they are rich in features compared with Web-based mail and are generally preferred. Their disadvantage is that your e-mail is tied to the machine the software is installed in. To use another computer, you have to install the mail client and configure the ISP's server settings all over again.

Web-based E-Mail
Web-based e-mail has two advantages. First, you can read and send e-mail from any Web browser anywhere in the world by accessing the e-mail Web site and typing in your username and password. Most ISPs offer both methods so that you can get your mail by whichever method is more convenient at the time.

Secondly, many Web-based e-mail services are free, supported only by advertising. An advantage other than no cost is that your e-mail address is not tied to your regular ISP. If you switch ISPs for Web browsing, your e-mail address is not effected. If you use your ISP for e-mail and change ISPs, you have to notify everyone of your new e-mail address, because your old ISP may not be willing to forward your mail.

Free Has Limitations
Totally free e-mail service may have a size limit. If you normally receive large images and other attachments, your mailbox could fill up before you checked your mail. Until you empty the mailbox by downloading the backlog, subsequent e-mails and attachments will be turned away.

E-Mail Services
For a directory of e-mail sites, visit www.emailaddresses.com. Some of the major sites are:

    www.hotmail.com    (Web based)
    www.juno.com       (Web based and non-Web)
    www.mail.com       (Web based)
    www.netscape.com   (Web based)
    www.yahoo.com      (Web based)
    www.zdnet.com      (Web based)

    www.bigfoot.com    (forwarding)

    www.emailaddresses.com  (directory of sites)