Using Your Email

Topics on this page

• Email Is Not as Safe and Reliable as We Would Like
• Bulk Email
• Accessing Your Email From Everywhere
• Your Folders
• Protecting Your Password
• Use Anti-Virus Software
• Clean Out Your Inbox and Folders
• Attachments
• Disk space
• Privacy

Email Is Not as Safe and Reliable as We Would Like

Current email technologies were designed back when the Internet was a smaller, quieter, safer place. Today, viruses infect email, worms crawl from computer to computer, and computers are taken over to send spam or to attack other computers. These problems, and the defensive measures we take against them, mean that email is not the safe and reliable medium we would like it to be. Keep these points in mind as you use email:

• Your messages may not reach their destination. To get through, email messages have to run a gauntlet of anti-spam and anti-virus filters and blocking mechanisms. If it is critical that the message reach its destination, make arrangements to verify that it got there.
• Some types of attachments may get stripped off and discarded. Attackers are hiding viruses in attachments in an attempt to get past anti-virus programs. In defense, many ISPs (including UW Email) are discarding attachments of types currently in active use by attackers.
• Messages that look legitimate may be fakes. Just because a message appears to be from someone you know does not mean they sent it. Almost any part of a message can be fake.
• Attachments may contain viruses capable of trashing your computer. Do not open attachments unless you are certain who they are from and what is in them.
• Sending sensitive information by email is risky. Copies of the messages will be kept in systems along the way. Your messages may be forwarded to far more people than you intend.

Bulk Email

Sending out large numbers of email messages can interfere with the operation of UW Email service for everyone and can get the UW on blacklists that prevent other UW Email from getting through. Before doing any large mailouts, see the Bulk email at the UW page.

Accessing Your Email From Everywhere

UW Email uses central email servers to store your inbox and folders of messages, making it easy for you to get to all your email wherever you are, whenever you need it, using the email program you prefer (provided it is set up to use IMAP - see note below).

Your Folders

In addition to having folders on the central email servers, you also have the option to keep email folders on your own local computer. Desktop email programs like Outlook Express, Mozilla Mail, and PC-Pine have the ability to save messages (including attachments) directly into your desktop computer's directories. Using such local folders may be an attractive alternative, and it may allow you to free up space on the central server to stay under your quota limit there. HOWEVER, once stored on your own computer you can access those messages ONLY on that particular computer (and usually only using the same program that saved it). Backup of that information also becomes your responsibility. For more information about using local folders, see - Saving UW Email to Desktop Local Folders

Protecting Your Password

Your UW NetID and password are how you identify yourself to networked UW services. If someone else gets them, they can use those services as if they were you and cause all kinds of problems for you and the UW.

• Do not save your UW NetID and password in email programs. Doing so may make it quicker to get to your email, but if your computer gets infected by a virus or worm, it will know just where to look to find your UW NetID and password.
• Be suspicious when using public computers, such as in cyber cafes. If using WebPine, check for the padlock icon that indicates a secure connection.
• Do not use email on a computer you think might be infected. Many viruses collect information from the computer, including logging keystrokes as you enter your ID and password, and send it to hackers.

Using Anti-virus Software

Email going through the UW's central email servers is scanned for viruses. Any infected email message is discarded. No notification is sent to the sender or the recipient in such and event.

To further protect yourself and others from viruses, UW Technology strongly recommends that you install and run anti-virus software on your computer. The McAffee anti-virus programs are included in the UWICK kit. Be sure to regularly download and install the updated data files. New viruses are appearing constantly and your anti-virus program needs the latest data to be effective.

You should also keep your computer's operating system up-to-date, preferably by configuring your computer to automatically download and install "patches" as they become available.

Clean Out Your Inbox and Folders

Email tends to accumulate. Make a habit of routinely deleting unneeded messages from your inbox and folders. This has several advantages:

1. Your email program is much quicker when your inbox is small
2. It will be easier to find the messages you are looking for
3. UW records retention schedules include disposal of records
4. You will be freeing up disk space

Using Attachments

Many different kinds of files, including spreadsheets, graphics, presentations, and word processor files can be attached to email messages. You might want to keep these considerations in mind when sending attachments.

• Some attachment file types will be blocked because of they are of types frequently used by virus and worm writers. For a list of file types currently being block, see Blocking File Attachments
• Consider sharing your files by putting them on a Web site. They will be just as available for most people and the files can be any size or type.
• Avoid sending an attachment to an email list. Put the file on a Web site instead and send the URL to the list.

Disk Space

You have a limited amount of disk space. You can find out how much you have and how much you are using by going to the Your Usage of UW Central Storage Space page.

• Use your disk space wisely.
  • Clean out your inbox frequently. Messages in your inbox count against your disk space usage.
  • Save only the messages your will really need later.
  • Records retention requires more than just keeping email. If a message should be retained because of UW or state records retention policies, print it out and file it appropriately. At present, keeping it in your email folders will not meet records retention requirements.
  • Watch out about saving messages with attachments. A few large attachments will quickly eat up your available disk space.
  • Organize your messages in appropriately named folders. Such a practice will make it easier to know when you can safely delete messages and folders.
• Be considerate of other's disk space.
  • Avoid sending very large files to people by email. You can distribute large files easily by putting them on a Web site. That way people can view or download them if they want them.

Privacy

The UW Email system is provided to support UW activities and is subject to state laws, including public disclosure as part of a public records request. In general, the privacy and security of your email cannot be guaranteed.

• Do not send sensitive information by email. This includes personnel data, patient records, student information, and financial information. For more information, see the UW Electronic Information Privacy Policy on Personally Identifiable Information
• Use UW Email for its intended purposes; supporting your work and education.

---

About IMAP and POP

Most email programs used by UW faculty, staff, and students are configured to use IMAP (Internet Message Access Protocol) which allows your inbox and folders to be maintained on the UW central email servers.

Also available on the UW email servers are POP (Post Office Protocol) services, although most people do not consider POP as desireable as IMAP. POP (typically) moves all your messages to your local computer when you open your inbox. This method has the disadvantage that you cannot work with your email when you are away from your own computer.

WARNING!! Using POP on one email program and IMAP on another program is not a good idea. The default behavior for almost all POP email clients is to move all messages in your inbox to the local computer, and EMPTY your inbox on the server! This means that ALL your email messages become available ONLY on the computer where you ran the POP email client software. If you later access your UW email with another program, or from a different computer, you will find your inbox is empty.