Follow Us!
† Requires Javascript
Copyright © 1997-2009 Demand Media. All rights reserved.
|
| Member | Message |
|---|---|
 |
Posted: Oct/24/2006 7:04 AM PST
Every few years we need to be reminded about internet and email courtesy. I've received this from a dear garden bud yesterday and it offers a grand opportunity to remind myself of some email "facts of life". This is a bit long, but Please read the short letter below, even if you're sure that you already follow proper procedures. [B]Do you really know how to forward e-mails?[/B]50% of us do; 50% of us DO NOT. [B]Do you wonder why you get viruses or junk mail? [/B] Do you hate it? [B]Every time you forward an e-mail there is information left over [/B]from the people who got the message before you, namely their e-mail addresses & names. As the messages get forwarded along, the list of addresses builds, and builds, and builds, and all it takes is for some poor sap to get a virus, and his or her computer can send that virus to every E-mail address that has come across his computer. Or, someone can take all of those addresses and sell them or send junk mail to them in the hopes that you will go to the site and he will make five cents for each hit. That's right, all of that inconvenience over a nickel! How do you stop it? Well, there are several easy steps: [B](1) [/B] [B]When you forward an e-mail, DELETE all [/B]of the other addresses that appear in the body of the message (at the top). That's right, DELETE them. Highlight them and delete them, backspace them, cut them, whatever it is you know how to do. It only takes a second. You MUST click the "Forward" button first and then you will have full editing capabilities against the body and headers of the message. If you don't click on "Forward" first, you won't be able to edit the message at all. [B](2)[/B] [B]Whenever you send an e-mail to more than one person[/B], do NOT use the To: or Cc: fields for adding e-mail addresses. Always use the BCC: (blind carbon copy) field for listing the e-mail addresses. This is the way the people you send to will only see their own e-mail address. If you don't see your BCC: option click on where it says To: and your address list will appear. Highlight the address and choose BCC: and that's it, it's that easy. When you send to BCC: your message will automatically say "Undisclosed Recipients in the "TO:" field of the people who receive it. [B](3) [/B] [B]Remove any "FW :" in the subject line. [/B] You can re-name the subject if you wish or even fix spelling [B](4) ALWAYS hit your Forward button from the actual e-mail [/B]you are reading. Ever get those e-mails that you have to open 10 pages to read the one page with the information on it? By Forwarding from the actual page you wish someone to view, you stop them from having to open many e-mails just to see what you sent. [B](5) Have you ever gotten an email that is a petition? [/B] It states a position and asks you to add your name and address and to forward it to 10 or 15 people or your entire address book. The email can be forwarded on and on and can collect thousands of names and email addresses. A FACT: The completed petition is actually worth a couple of bucks to a professional spammer because of the wealth of valid names and email addresses contained therein. If you want to support the petition, send it as your own personal letter to the intended recipient. Your position may carry more weight as a personal letter than a laundry list of names and email address on a petition. (Actually, if you think about it, who's supposed to send the petition in to whatever cause it supports? [B]6) And don't believe the ones that say that the email is being traced[/B], it just ain't so!) One of the main ones I hate is the ones that say that something like, Send this email to 10 people and youll see something great run across your screen.. Or sometimes they'll just tease you by saying something really cute will happen IT AINT GONNA HAPPEN!!!!! (Trust me, I'm still seeing some of the same ones that I waited on 10 years ago!) [B]7) I don't let the bad luck ones scare me either[/B], they get trashed. (could be why I haven't won the lottery??) [B]8) Before you forward an Amber Alert, or a Virus Alert[/B], or some of the other ones floating around nowadays, check them out before you forward them. Most of them are junk mail that's been circling the net for YEARS! [B]9) Become a "black hole" for all chain letters. [/B] Once they enter your computer they never leave. Luck, bad or good will NOT follow you for the rest of your life. Bill Gates is not going to send you $1000 if you send the letter on to five of your closest friends. [B]10) One of the most appaling types of forwards are those who clai[/B]m some group, organization, political party, or governmental agency (the U.S. Postal Service is a prime target) is doing some dastardly deed to loyal, God-fearing Americans. Just because it happens to fit into our own beliefs, political or otherwise, doesn't make them true. I've checked these out for several years now and at best..........and only rarely....is one of them even flirting with the truth. I am always amazed at how people who claim to be people of Faith send along emails packed with such blatant lies. Isn't that an oxymoron of sorts? Just about everything you receive in an email that is in question can be checked out at Snopes.com or Urban Legends. |
 |
Posted: Oct/24/2006 9:14 AM PST
Thanks for the info Whit, I have a friend who forwards me emails that have to be opened by clicking 10 pages and it is very annoying , I will inform her of how to forward it as you advised. I also hate those chain letters that threaten bad luck or good luck . I also just delete them . I was using the BCC for a while then stopped for unknown reason , I will start to use it again. Thanks for the hints and up dates. swindyi |
 |
Posted: Oct/24/2006 3:53 PM PST
i got this one too, Whit. i'd been doing a few things wrong thinking i was doing it right! it's great to finally know how to forward something w/o causing problems for the receiver. thanks for posting this. 
|
 |
Posted: Oct/24/2006 5:11 PM PST
Thank you Whitmore1. I also had received this email from my SIL a while back and I did forward to everyone that we email on a regular basis and still some of them do not realize the problems they can cause for other people on there mailing list. I know I am tried of having to click on attachments to find out it is another attachment with other peoples email addresses on it. Doing the forward and the BCC is so easy. We do not keep an address book for that is another way virus can attach themselves to your email list. WE just copied all our email addresses in word pad and keep it on our desk top. so all we have to do is copy and paste it. Thank you again for the reminder of emails. Tina |
|
|
Posted: Oct/24/2006 5:57 PM PST
Here's another handy item to have on your desktop. It's called Emailstripper and removes those pesky >>>> from emails. http://papercut.biz/emailStripper.htm |
 |
Posted: Oct/25/2006 1:36 AM PST
When I get an e-mail that I want to pass on I highlight the part I want to send then copy and paste to write. That way there isn't all those addresses being sent on. I hate to get e-mails where 2/3 or more of the page is nothing but e-mail addresses. Thanks Whit for the tips. Do you mind if I e-mail this to the people in my address book. |
|
|
Posted: Oct/25/2006 5:01 AM PST
Quote: Originally posted by maggieevans Thanks Whit for the tips. Do you mind if I e-mail this to the people in my address book.You're welcome! Go ahead and send away. |
 |
Posted: Oct/25/2006 9:52 AM PST
Thanks for the info, like others I thought I was doing it right to. Do you mind if I C & P this info on another site I frequent? Thanks again. trudy |
|
|
Posted: Oct/25/2006 10:42 AM PST
Dove someone told me that if you put aaaaaa as the first address on your address book then your address book can't accessed by other people. swindyi |
|
|
Posted: Oct/25/2006 12:21 PM PST
Quote: Originally posted by swindyi Dove someone told me that if you put aaaaaa as the first address on your address book then your address book can't accessed by other people.swindyi This is another one of those internet myths. Read what Urban Legends says about a similar "trick". http://antivirus.about.com/cs/hoaxes/p/000tip.h tm?terms=aaaaa+with+email+addresses And the aaaa thing: http://antivirus.about.com/cs/hoaxes/p/aaaa.htm I'd urge internet users to do a search for Urban Legends, find the site and then put a shortcut to it on your desktop for future use in deciphering these hoaxes. As for anyone doing a C&P of my post go ahead. Most of it really isn't mine at all, but the compilation of several......you guessed it......Forwards that have been sent to me over time.........:broccoli: |
† Requires Javascript
Copyright © 1997-2009 Demand Media. All rights reserved.
