Email Background Information

The first Email message was sent in 1971. Ray Tomlinson wrote the software that made it possible to move text messages from one user to another user on the fledgling network that was to expand into the internet we know today.

Needing a way to separate the name of the user and the name of the host computer for routing purposes, Tomlinson selected the @ character which, at that time, was rarely used.

Thirty plus years down the road, we see that user@host protocol in every email message that we send and receive. Our email addresses are as unique as a phone number or a social security number but every one still follows the user@host protocol that Tomlinson casually selected.

Most institutional email addresses use some variation of the user's first and last names for the user name. Personal email address offer much more flexibility.

How Email Works

While it is possible to use email without having a clue about what is going on behind the scenes (millions do that every day...), a little background information might be helpful. Spend a few minutes reading the "How email Works" article available on the Howstuffworks site. The link will open a new browser window or tab. Close that window when you have finished reading the article to return to this page.

How email Works

Email Clients

There are two common ways to access email. Stand-alone email clients like Outlook, Outlook Express, Thunderbird, Eudora, Entourage and Mac Mail are software applications that are installed on your computer and must be configured to connect with remote email servers.

Webmail clients like gMail, Outlook Web Access, HotMail and YahooMail make it possible for users to access their email accounts through a web browser and do not require any additional software or configuration.

Both types of email clients retrieve and send email through powerful mail servers which are typically located in secure server farms at your internet service provider's facilities. Both types of email clients work well for most of what we need to do with email.

Next: Launch Your Email Client