To create a message to send, open Outlook Express. (refer to: Opening Microsoft's Outlook Express to access your e-mail account)
Click on the Compose Message button.
Your e-mail message will appear something like this:
There are a few things I will cover here:
First, the To: line.
When sending a message you will need to put the e-mail address of the receiver(s) here.
You can either type the address in or use the Address Book as you would use a telephone address book. (to use the Address Book you must have the persons information already entered in the Address Book. This topic covered later)
To select a name/address from the Address Book click on the card shaped icon next to the To: field.
You will notice the card icon on the Cc: and the Bcc: fields. You can used the Address Book here as well.
The Cc: field serves the same purpose as a carbon copy of a letter you would send. This way, a person receiving a carbon copied email knows that the message was not directly intended for them but they were given a copy for their records.
You may enter multiple names/address on either of these lines. When you click on one of the card icons you will see this screen with a list of the contact people you have entered in your Address Book:
Click on the name of the person you want to send to then click To: or Cc:. (repeat this step if sending to multiple people)
Click OK and you will see the name(s) in the appropriate boxes.
This saves time and it is easier than having to remember every email address.
This is also where you can add a new contact to your Address Book. Click on the New Contact button.
The window will look like this:
Now just enter the information.
Be sure to enter the person's name and their email address. (be sure to click Add after typing the email address)
The other tabs are for more information they do not need to filed out unless you want that information for future reference.
Click OK and you are finished.
Before you send your e-mail there are two last features to note; spellcheck and attachments.
To spellcheck your message, click Tools then Spelling.
To attach a file, click the icon that looks like a paper clip.
You will see this type of window:
Just find the file you want, select it and click Attach.
If you attached a file from a removable source (a floppy disk or a CD-ROM) be sure to leave the disk in the drive until after you have sent the message and the busy light on the drive has gone off.
