Microsoft Outlook Tips #5



*1.  FINDING YOUR NICHE

March 29th, 1999

In our last tip, we introduced newsgroups--collections of 
messages (from subscribers like you and me) about a given 
topic. To get started--assuming you already entered your news 
server information--switch to your news folder; when you see a 
message asking whether you'd like to view a newsgroup list, 
click Yes. 

A little overwhelmed by the selection? Before you start 
scrolling through over 20,000 names (or attempt to make sense 
of all those abbreviations), narrow your search a bit. 

Based on the category of newsgroup you're looking for, type 
some search criteria in the Display Newsgroups Which Contain 
text box. For example, you might type "quilting" or "football" 
in this text box. As soon as you finish typing (and often 
sooner), Outlook Express automatically starts the search. Don't 
press Enter, or you close the dialog box altogether. 

See a group that looks like it might be interesting? Then do 
the following to preview the group: 

- 1. Select the newsgroup name and click the Go To button.
     Outlook Express downloads the headers, or list of
     messages, from that group. 
- 2. Select any message to read it. 
- 3. To return to the Newsgroups dialog box, choose Tools +
     Newsgroups. (You need to type your search criteria again;
     them's the breaks.) 

Exiting Outlook Express removes any previewed newsgroups from 
your folder list--that is, unless you subscribe to them, which 
we discuss in our next tip. . . .


*2.   ASK YOUR FAVORITE NEWSGROUPS TO STICK AROUND

March 30th, 1999

In the first tip in this series, we introduced 
newsgroups--collections of messages (from subscribers like you 
and me) about a given topic. To get started--assuming you 
already entered your news server information--switch to your 
news folder. When you see a message asking whether you want to 
view a newsgroup list, click Yes. Type some criteria in the 
Display Newsgroups Which Contain text box (to narrow your 
search); then preview a newsgroup by selecting it and licking 
Go To. 

When you find a newsgroup that really interests you, you'll 
want to subscribe to that group, making it a more permanent 
part of your folder list. (Previewing a newsgroup only adds it 
to your folder list temporarily, until you exit Outlook 
Express.) If you're already previewing the newsgroup, 
right-click it in your folder list and select Subscribe to 
this newsgroup. 

To subscribe to a group from inside the Newsgroups dialog box, 
follow these steps: 

- 1. Select the newsgroup and click Subscribe. 
- 2. Click Go To. Outlook Express downloads new headers for
     that group. 

Any subscribed-to newsgroups appear in list form on your news 
folder and on the Subscribed tab of the Newsgroups dialog box. 
To unsubscribe from a newsgroup, follow one of these two 
procedures:  - Right-click the group in your folder list and 
select Unsubscribe; then click Yes to confirm. 

- Open the Newsgroups dialog box, click the Subscribed tab, 
select the newsgroup, and then click Unsubscribe.
 
In our next tip, setting the number of headers Outlook Express 
downloads at a time. . . .


*3.   MIND YOUR MANNERS--PART 1 OF 2

March 31st, 1999

In previous tips, we introduced newsgroups--collections of 
messages (from subscribers, like you and me) about a given 
topic. Now, it's time to start reading those messages. 

To get started (assuming you've already entered your news 
server information), follow these steps: 

- 1. Switch to your news folder. 
- 2. When you see a message asking whether you'd like to view
     a newsgroup list, click Yes. 
- 3. Search for a group by typing some criteria in the Display
     Newsgroups Which Contain text box. In the resulting list,
     you can preview any newsgroup by selecting it and clicking
     Go To. 
- 4. To subscribe to a newsgroup, right-click the newsgroup name
     in the folder list and select Subscribe to This Newsgroup. 

-From now on, switching to this newsgroup (in your folder list) 
downloads any new headers for that group. 

Did you know about the set of rules (called "Netiquette") that 
defines what are--and aren't-- good manners in newsgroups? For 
example, here's one important Netiquette guideline: 

Before you dive in and start responding to the first message 
you see or drafting a message about a topic that's been on your 
mind, "lurk" for a while. Hang around speechless for a few 
days, doing nothing but reading the postings. That way, you 
learn what the common topics are and don't risk posting an 
irrelevant or recently answered question. 

In our next tip, more Netiquette guidelines. . . .


*4.   MIND YOUR MANNERS--PART 2 OF 2

April 1st, 1999

In our last tip, we told you about Netiquette, the set of rules 
defining good manners in newsgroups. For example, before you 
jump right into a newsgroup, you should lurk for a while to 
make sure that you're aware of the latest topics and don't ask 
a question that's already been answered. 

Here's another guideline: When you reply to a posting, don't 
quote the entire message that you're replying to. Only include 
the portion that relates to your response. 

Want to know more about Netiquette? Visit the Zen and the Art 
of the Internet-Usenet News Web site, at 

http://www.cs.indiana.edu/docproject/zen/zen-1.0_6.html 

and skip down to the section entitled "Usenet 'Netiquette.'"


*5.   CAN YOU GUESS HOW MANY NEWSGROUPS THERE ARE?

March 26th, 1999

Want to read a lot of people's opinions and discussions about a 
particular topic? Subscribe to a newsgroup. In case you aren't 
familiar with them, a newsgroup is nothing more than a 
collection of messages (from subscribers like you and me) about 
any given topic. So many of these groups are in existence that 
there's bound to be one for anything you're interested in. 

If and when you decide the take the newsgroup plunge, your 
first step is to see what newsgroups are out there. First 
obtain the necessary news server information from your ISP or 
network administrator. When you have the server info, set up 
your account to read newsgroups: 

- 1. Choose Tools + Accounts. 
- 2. Click the News tab. 
- 3. Select Add + News. 
- 4. Follow the wizard as it asks for your name and server
     information. Click Next after adding your name and
     server info. 
- 5. Click Close. 
- 6. Outlook Express asks whether you'd like to see a list of
     all available newsgroups. Click Yes and then wait for the
     list to finish downloading. (On our system, it took about
     five minutes to download a list of over 20,000 newsgroup
     names.) 

Fortunately, you have to wait for this list to download 
only once.

-From now on, selecting your news folder produces the same 
message, asking whether you want to view a list of names. When 
you click Yes, you jump directly to the Newsgroups dialog box. 

In our next tip, narrowing your search. . . .


*6.   IT'S VIRTUALLY A BUSINESS CARD--PART 1 OF 3

April 2nd, 1999

Want to send someone a business card over the Internet? Outlook 
Express lets you create a Business Card in vCard format-"the 
Internet standard for creating and sharing virtual business 
cards"--from any Address Book entry, including your own. You 
can then attach this card to any e-mail message. In today's 
tip, we show you how to create the card. 

- 1. If you haven't already, enter yourself in your Address
     Book: Press Ctrl + Shift + B, click the New Contact button,
     complete the resulting dialog box, and click OK. 
- 2. Still in the Address Book, select yourself in the
     entry list. 
- 3. Choose File + Export, Business Card (vCard). 
- 4. Navigate to the folder where you'd like to store the
     business card (*.vcf file). 
- 5. If you want, type a new name for the file (by default,
     Outlook uses your name as entered in the Address Book). 
- 6. Click Save. Your business card is ready and waiting to
     attach to any e-mail message. 

In our next tip, attaching this card to an e-mail. . . .


*7.   IT'S VIRTUALLY A BUSINESS CARD--PART 2 OF 3

April 5th, 1999

In our last tip, we showed you how to create a business card 
from any entry in your Address Book (most likely, your own): 
Open the Address Book; create an entry for yourself; click once 
on this entry and choose File + Export, Business Card (vCard); 
navigate to the folder where you'd like to store the card (a 
*.vcf file); and click Save. 

Want to send someone your card? Attach the *.vcf file you just 
created to an e-mail message: 

- 1. Click the Compose Message button. 
- 2. Inside the New Message dialog box, address and compose
     your message as usual. 
- 3. Choose Insert + File Attachment. 
- 4. Navigate your way to and select the appropriate *.vcf file.
- 5. Click Attach. 

Send the message, and your business card goes with it!


*8.   IT'S VIRTUALLY A BUSINESS CARD--PART 3 OF 3

April 6th, 1999

In the first tip in this series, we showed you how to create a 
business card from any entry in your Address Book (most likely, 
your own): Open the Address Book; create an entry for yourself; 
click once on this entry and choose File + Export, Business 
Card (vCard); navigate to the folder in which you'd like to 
store the card (a *.vcf file); and click Save. In our last tip, 
we showed you how to attach this card to an e-mail message: 
Inside the New Message dialog box, address and compose your 
message as usual; choose Insert + File Attachment; select the 
appropriate *.vcf file; and click Attach. 

Now what do you do when you RECEIVE a Business Card (*.vcf 
file) attached to an e-mail? Transfer the information to your 
Address Book folder. It's a snap: 

- 1. Open in a separate window the message containing the vCard. 
- 2. Double-click the *.vcf icon to open the business card. (If
     the Open Attachment Warning dialog box appears, select Open
     It and click OK.) 
- 3. In the Properties dialog box that appears, type any
     additional information for that contact, if necessary. 
- 4. Click the Add to Address Book button. 
- 5. Click OK. 

You've got yourself a new Address Book entry.


*9.   SECRET LETTERS--PART 1 OF 2

April 7th, 1999

Want to send an anonymous e-mail? A message that won't reveal 
who the message is from? If we show you how, you have to 
promise to be nice (use it for fun, not hate mail). 

Promise? Okay, then, here goes. In a nutshell, just send the 
message using an anonymous remailer (a third party that strips 
the message of its return address). For a list of these 
remailers, point your Web browser to 

http://www.publius.net/rlist.html 

Start by reading through all the information there, if you 
want. In our next tip, we show you the correct format for 
sending a message through one of these remailers.


*10.   SECRET LETTERS--PART 2 OF 2

April 8th, 1999

In our last tip, we told you that you can send anonymous e-mail 
(one that doesn't include your return address) using an 
anonymous remailer. (And we made you promise to use this 
technique for fun, not hate mail.) We also told you that you 
can obtain a list of remailers at 

http://www.publius.net/rlist.html 

Now that you've found the list and read through the information 
on that page, here's what you do next: 

- 1. Open the New Message dialog box. 
- 2. Using the list at the aforementioned Web page, type a
   remailer's address on the To line. 
- 3. On the first line of the message, type two colons in a row,
   like this: 

:: 

- 4. On the second line, type "Request-Remailing-To:" followed
     by your recipient's address, like this: 

Request-Remailing-To: recipient@address.com 

- 5. Leave the third line blank. 
- 6. Start your message on the fourth line. 

Now send it off, if you dare! And keep in mind that, depending 
on the remailer you use, the delay time could range from 
minutes to days. 

(Tip-in-a-tip: Before you do anything drastic, like professing 
your love, we highly recommend that you send an anonymous 
message to yourself first, to make sure you've got the hang 
of it.)
