Internet: Theory and Practice

 

Managing email communications

 

Last week, we looked at sending emails and good email etiquette. This week, we will look at how to keep your inbox under control using folders, before going on to complete the first assessment.

 

Folders and computers

 

‘Folders’ are commonly used in most computer programs to help you organise and manage your work. Each time you type a letter or essay in word, save a photograph or download a music track, you create a new ‘file’. If you have a computer at home, you’ll know how quickly you accumulate hundreds of different files, and how difficult it can be to keep track of them. Programs like Windows Explorer (accessible through the Start Menu) help you to keep track of files, organise them into folders and delete old files – rather like a real filing cabinet.

 

If you are a regular email user, you will know how difficult it can be to keep track of your emails. Perhaps you want to keep special emails from family and friends who live far away, or you have photographs that you might like to share later. You might be looking for work and need to keep your professional emails separate from the joke emails sent by your mates!

 

Programs like hotmail and yahoo mail allow you to create folders to help store and manage emails.

 

Creating a folder

 

In hotmail, log in to your account and go to your inbox.

 

At the left hand side of the page, you will see a list of existing folders – this should include ‘drafts’, ‘sent messages’ and the ‘trash can’. Most email client programs will automatically set up these folders.

 

At the bottom of the list you will see text that reads ‘Manage Folders’. Click on that now.

Your page should look like this.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

You should notice three buttons at the left of the screen: ‘New’, ‘Rename’ and ‘Delete’. You cannot rename or delete folders such as the Trash Can which hotmail creates – only folders which you have set up yourself.

 

Click on ‘new’ and you should see the following:

 

In the white box, enter the name ‘class emails’ and click OK.

 

 

Managing emails

 

Working in pairs, exchange email addresses with the person next to you. Write a quick email (see last week’s notes if you are unsure), saying ‘hi, how are you?’ and send it to your colleague.

 

When you receive the email, reply, saying ‘fine thanks’.

 

Click on the email you received from your colleague. You should see a button entitled ‘put in folder’.

 

Your ‘class emails’ folder should be at the end of the list. Click on this folder to move the message.

 

Repeat this with the reply you received from your colleague.

 

From your inbox, click on the ‘class emails’ folder on the left hand side. You should now see both emails.

 

 

Exercise

 

Practice managing folders –

 

  1. Create a folder named ‘internet week 2’
  2. Move the two emails from this class from ‘class emails’ into ‘internet week 2’ using the method outlined above
  3. Rename the ‘class emails’ folder as ‘internet week 3’.