PAST MEETINGS

July 16, 2010 - Hammondsport Mac Users Group

ATTENDING: Tom B, Bob S, Don H, Peter H, Nancy C, and Nancy D.

TOPIC: E-MAIL

As a starting point, the proper spelling of e-mail (with a hyphen) was noted by Tom (who spent far too many years proof-reading yearbook copy at Hammondsport Central but knows good spelling when he seas it).

Hover Dictionary - quickly find the meanings of difficult vocabulary in a text document, e-mail or webpage by simply holding down the keys  Control+Command+D  and then hovering the cursor over a word to reveal the Pop-Up definition. Here are some words to test it out your hovering skill: antebellum, drail, hysteron proteron, sfumato. (Cocoa apps only)

Some questions about using Address Book revealed interesting features which are somewhat 'hidden' under the File>Print option.

-----Convert your Address Book into a PDF document.

-----Print a List on paper of your entire Address Book.

-----Print Mailing Labels from your Address Book using standard label sheets such as Avery (see how).

-----Print your Address Book as a Pocket-sized booklet.

vCard - All the data in your Address Book can easily be transferred to other user accounts, computers or to backup disks by using the File> Export vCard feature. Use the Shared folder in Users or USB drive to move the vCard to an accessible place. Then, in the new account, use Address Book>File>Import to add the vCard addresses.

How to set up a new account in Mail - The first time you open Mail, it automatically sets up email accounts for you using the information from the .Mac pane of System Preferences and the Mail Setup Assistant. If no information is found, Mail guides you through the process of setting up a new account. You can create additional accounts at any time. Read an Apple tutorial for OSX5 here and for OSX 4 here.

-----POP (Post Office Protocol) - gets your mail

-----SMTP (Simple Mail Transfer Protocol) - sends your mail

-----IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) - keeps all files online and syncs with Mail

Tom demonstrated how to add a Gmail Pop3 account to existing Mail accounts (for IMAP step-by-step, go here).

-----Use Port 587 in Mail Prefs for SMTP outgoing mail (rather than default Port 25) - it's more secure.
-----Useful folders can be added to the Mail window to help organize your incoming e-mails.
-----Regulate Junk Mail (Mail>Prefs>Junkmail) - junkmail is tinted 'brown' for a reason.
-----Leave / remove emails from the internet server (Mail>Prefs>Accounts>Advanced)
-----Guard against excessively large files being downloaded in Mail - warning (Mail>Prefs>Accounts>Advanced)
-----Search all e-mails in Mail's folders (use the Search window in the Mail window)
-----E-mail a URL link using Mail with the Safari web browser; go to the site, then (Command-Shift-i)
-----E-mail a complete webpage, including hyperlinks in Safari; go to the site, then (Command-i)
-----Create a hyperlink for a word or phrase in your e-mail

SOME E-MAIL HINTS
-----After setting up a new account and successfully sending/receiving e-mail, take some screenshots of the data windows in Mail preferences for future reference and troubleshooting. Use keys Command+Shift+4 then Spacebar to capture an entire window. Save the screenshots in a folder called 'My Mail Settings'.

-----Avoid plaguing your friends and relatives with SPAM. For example, when forwarding an e-mail, delete the unneeded list of previous addresses before forwarding. Send it to a single address. Or use the BCC method for group mailings. Make all names invisible except the recipient by turning off that feature in Mail composing. Read more e-mail etiquette tips.

DISCOVERIES

Opera web browser is lightning fast with features such as Speed Dial that are fun to use.

SODIS Safe Water (not related to macs but interesting) -
National Geographic April 2010 issue says that you can make safe drinking water using clear plastic bottles. First, fill a clear plastic water bottle with water from a creek, pond or puddle that is not too murky and take off the label. Then place bottle on a metal surface in full sunlight and let it sit for 6hrs. In that time, the sun's UVA rays will kill any bacteria, viruses, and parasites in the water. Use PET clear plastic bottles. Do not move bottles while sitting in the sun. Keep water stored in bottles to prevent recontamination.This method is known as SODIS and was developed in Switzerland. To read more about SODIS, click here. Download a SODIS training manual (PDF) here.

Hammondsport Mac Users Group - Hammondsport, NY 14840 - www.hportmug.com