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Listen to your mail call
MANY email users are familiar with picking up mail from just one (own) computer, using Post Office Protocol (POP) client program. Some high emailers who already happen to be living on the web like to access electronic mail anywhere; using different web-based email services. They just need a computer with internet access not necessarily there own. Though both POP and web-based mail programs are used to access electronic mail yet there are some differences that form the basis of users’ preferences.
POP mail client programs allow retrieving email from the central server to local computer. Outlook Express comes with Windows that is universal in our country. Part of Microsoft Outlook family of messaging and collaboration clients, it is popular with both home and corporate users in our country. There are number of other POP client programs, such as Eudora, Netscape Communicator, HotPoP, Lycos available on the internet that can be downloaded. Built on open internet standards, Outlook Express is designed for those who need easy to use and reliable email service, noted bugs notwithstanding.
Web-based services, such as Hotmail, Netscape, Yahoo are accessed exclusively through the web. All that is needed is a computer connected with the internet and a web browser — software that allows looking at web pages — and one can use free web-based email services anywhere. And nowadays, that anywhere includes even when flying in the air. The email service providers store all messages and also offer extra functions, such as online spell-check, formatting, insertion of wide range of emoticons, blocking provisions, personal address books and distribution lists.
The free web-based services thrive on their huge users’ base that helps them sell advertising space. These email services generally show banner advertisements while users are collecting mail; many also add a short tag line to each message sent, identifying the service used. They are limited to a relatively small amount of storage space (typically a few megabytes) so users cannot keep old messages for long before running out of space. Generally, web mail is not intended to be used as a primary email client.
What is the basic difference between POP and web-based mail services? Simply put, POP mail clients store incoming messages on Internet Services Provider’s (ISP) server until user is ready to download them. Once downloaded, the mail is deleted from the server and stored on user’s machine (now some POP clients do have an option somewhere in their preferences to leave mail on the server). Emails can be composed and messages read offline, connecting just to send messages and downloading new mail. Network connection is required only to upload and download email files. It is particularly useful for handling larger sized (with attachments of 200kb or more) mails. Any number of messages can be kept since they are stored on the hard disk and they can be re-read any time without connecting to the internet.
Until recently, the other big difference that helped people to decide which mail service to use was that mail using POP client could only be accessed on own computer. Now however, Hotmail can be configured to pick up POP mail and vice versa. So far this feature does not work with any other web-based mail, nor does it work with any other email clients. Many companies, however offer simple web-based solutions for reading POP mail any where. While writing this I entered the site of one of my old ISPs using account of my current ISP. Old account was still there and I could see some unread mails sitting there (it was an arduous process though).
There is no denying the very important role that email plays in our lives today. In Pakistan, email is one of the major factors helping the internet to become pervasive. The single most compelling reason for a majority of users to hook up to the internet is email. As per survey by SPIDER (August), “84 per cent people use the internet primarily for email . . . Hotmail.com and Yahoo are top two favourite sites of Pakistani users.”
In Pakistan, Outlook Express alone (I have not come across any one using Eudora, Incredimail or any other POP client programs available on the internet) is universally popular with serious users. Most people I have talked to that are using Outlook Express are doing it specifically because they have gotten used to the interface of the program. Simultaneously, many users have other web-based mail accounts for different purposes as well. Web-based mails are popular with more freedom lover casual users: young people mostly or those who do not have their own computer and modem and use public computer for mail.
There are certain misconceptions about the use of email in general and about the mail services in particular. Who all can read mail other then the intended addressees — some one sitting out there or people running the local ISP? Will the mail reach the intended addressee in the first place? Many users said that they use Outlook Express because they can do every thing offline and save net time and telephone line is not engaged for long.
A university teacher Asghar Javed who uses email quite often said, “I keep compiling messages when ever I need to do. My son sends them and downloads my mails for me when he goes online. He has his own account on web mail services. I cannot do this in Hotmail or Yahoo.” Most bizarre opinion that came from a silver surfer who uses mail to communicate with his sons working in different cities is this: “I use Outlook Express because in that case my mail does not have to go out of the country.”
Similarly, proponents of web mail services have their own preferences. Those using the net cable via LAN or broadband connections available at some areas in big cities mostly use web mail services. “I use Hotmail and Yahoo because of smileys that I can use in my mails,” says Al-e-Muhammad, a young student. Another student Saima Nadeem says, “We have one computer which is used by all family members. I leave the Outlook Express alone for my father where as I and my brothers have our accounts at Yahoo as well as at Hotmail.”
Tahir Ahmad who is studying Computer Science in USA summed up the use of email services very succinctly. In response to a query he wrote, “I do not have POP mail client program on my personal computer. I have been using Outlook Express in Pakistan. I have used so many other POP services here in USA. Unlike Pakistan, ISPs here provide as much as five different email addresses with one connection. My main concern while selecting a service is what my contacts and buddies are using. I use web-based mail: AOL for my contacts in USA and Hotmail or Yahoo for my family and friends back home. For me the real value of email does not lie in service I use but in proximity email (and accompanying instant messaging service) provides: “Did you take your meal?” coming from someone caring living in a different time zone gives me feeling of closeness. It is about being able to savour the feeling of being together, no matter where you may be.”
The writer
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