This site was written in the dark ages and certain sections are now hopelessly outdated. Hotmail for example can now be accessed via outlook express and downloaded on your hard disk. But if your internet awarness is still stuck in the dark ages - then this read on, this site is for you!
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Wajeed's Guide to Free Email |
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Introduction There are scores of sites on the net offering free email services. This guide is by no means comprehensive, but points you to some of the best places on the web. |
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Email can be roughly categorized into two types: "Web based email" and "Hard disk based email" (those who know better need not frown, this definition is for lesser idiots!) |
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To access web-based email you have to spend a lot of time online, adding up your ISP and telephone bills. Even if bills are not a major consideration, if you have a single telephone line (get off your high horse and admit it, most people do have a single line), locking it up for hours on end can be a major irritant. (Not so much for you as for the person trying to reach you). You can disconnect while you read an email and reconnect to read another, but that's not very convenient besides you have to login every time. To reread a message, you have to go online again (unless you have saved this to your hard disk). You also have to be online to write email that includes replying and forwarding. And not all web-based email has the facility to correct typos and spellings. One trick here is to stay offline and compose your email in your Word Processor (MS Word or whatever), then go online; cut/copy and paste into emails compose box. Hotmail is an example of web based email. All your email is stored on the servers of your service provider until you log on. When you log on your mail is downloaded to the inbox of your hard disk. You can then read this at your leisure, delete or store messages in any folder that you may have created for this purpose. You can compose any number of outgoing messages at your own pace and store them in your outbox. These will be sent in a single batch the next time you logon. You also have the advantage of adding graphics as part of the message instead of attachments like in the case of Web based email. You can check spellings and add special effects like wallpaper. The hard-disk based address book too can be managed very easily. MS Outlook is an example of hard disk based email. |
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For a hard-disk based email account check with your Service Provider, most providers offer a free email account as part of your Internet connection. The disadvantage is when you change your service provider, your email account becomes inactive and you have to change your email address. If you are using your office email, unless you are in a big organization with individual email address for all employees, you may have to use a common email address, which is not such a good idea. Also, when you change jobs or fall out of favor your email address can be blocked, probed or deleted by your employer. If you prefer a web based email account, go for the established names. They will probably still be around when your are not. Check for login time and ease, features like an address book, amount of storage space, spell checkers, wall papers, the ability to manage your messages and folders, the ability to send attachments, etc are all features you should look for. |
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There are no boundaries on the Internet. So there is no such thing as an Indian site except for the fact that the server may be based in India or the site may have an Indian name, but remember the site itself is accessible from any part of the world. This classification is for those wishing to have an Indian identity. A word of warning - there are a lot of Indian email sites by amateurs, most don't work. If you are looking for a serious address go for the established names. |
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(The following pages are the work of their respective authors. All credit or discredit for the contents is theirs alone.)
The Free Email FAQ (Frequently Asked Questions)
Choosing the right type of free email service
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