Internet Watch

Dave Larton

Email Now!

Dave Larton is a dispatcher for the city of Gilroy, California. He is also the State ACS Training Officer for the California Governor's Office of Emergency Services, Telecommunications Branch, the webmaster for several public safety organizations, and a Tech Info Group Manager for FEMA's Urban Search and Rescue Task Force 3 based in Menlo Park, CA.

This article can be found on page 116 of the Nov/Dec 1998 issue of 9-1-1 Magazine.

One of the laments I've heard from folks over the last couple of years stems from the question, `what's your email address?' and the reply `I don't have one....(sigh).' Well, not to worry. Some enterprising companies have developed several free email systems that don't require that you have Internet access. If you have a computer and a modem, you can log on, send and receive email from just about anywhere.

Email is usually divided into three groups: POP (Point of Presence), Web-based, and Email forwarders. POP mail services store your email on a remote server. This enables you to connect at any time and download your email whenever you wish. The neat thing is that you can access mail from virtually anywhere, and you don't necessarily need Internet access. Registration typically involves giving the provider a username and password, and can be done in a few minutes. You merely have to think of a jazzy email name to go along with the new email address. Give this new name a little thought; you most likely wouldn't want a NERD@GEEK.COM address that will stick with you like a wad of gum under your tennis shoe. Many people use their first initial and their last name, something like JSMITH@mail.com as an email address. It's usually easy for people to remember, and makes for a good starting point for an address.

Let's explore a few of the free emailers that are on the Net market:

JUNO.COM (www.juno.com) One of the Net's oldest emailers, JUNO uses a modem interface, so you don't need Internet access. Since they began in April of 1996, JUNO has amassed over three million members. JUNO, like most of the other free emailers, makes its revenue through the banner ads that grace the edges of your email. It can be a little annoying, but, hey, it's free. JUNO.COM, like most of the free emailers, does have some disadvantages. Several of the emailers have a maximum message length for each upload or download; this usually doesn't present a problem if you are sending a message to a friend, but could be a problem in sending large files or graphics.

Free software can be downloaded directly from the JUNO.COM website, or you can call them at (800) 654-JUNO for a copy. There's a slight charge for shipping and handling if they mail it to you. But if you want to get a quick and simple email service, call JUNO and you can be up and running in no time at all.

If you already have an Internet account, several Web-based emailers are available that supply several free services, including a specialty domain name, email forwarding, and more.

YAHOO! MAIL (www.yahoomail.com). Best known as RocketMail until just recently, YAHOO! Mail uses the resources of a great AltaVista search engine and helpful pointers through the popular FOUR11 directory service. You are limited to 3 megabytes (MB) of mail on the service and a maximum of three 500 kilobyte (KB) attachments with each message sent. A Vacation Response feature can reply to your mail for you while you're away, and Reminders can send mail to yourself as a memory aid.

WEBADDRESS (www.webaddress.com) is one of the newer emailers to begin service on the Web. It tailors its service to a new user, and its interface is very simple and easy to use. You can also add as many as five attachments to any message, and it has an unlimited account size.

MAILCITY (www.mailcity.com) has licenses to many of the popular email groups through its WhoWhere? division, including Eudoramail, Excitemail, NetNoir, JCN (Jewish Community Network), ZDNet, LatinoLink and many others. A MAILCITY account size is 2MB, and mail attachments cannot exceed 2MB.

HOTMAIL (www.hotmail.com) or (408) 222-7000, is a recent acquisition of Microsoft. 1MB attachments are allowed with a 2MB account limit. The interface is quick and easy to use. HOTMAIL also has filtering available to screen out the mail you don't want to receive, and has a stringent no-spam (junk mail) policy. HOTMAIL has about 15 million subscribers. When logging on, you will receive the latest news from the popular MSNBC website, and helpful tips on best using the HOTMAIL server.

Email forwarders take your email and send it to wherever you'd like; this makes it easy if you leave an Internet Service Provider but don't wish to trash your old address.

For a listing over 250 free email POP, Web-based and email forwarders, stop by http://www.emailaddresses.com.

Don't let the fact that you're not on the Net keep you from sending and receiving email; sign up for one of these free email sites and become a Netmailer today!