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E-mail: Protocols, CC and BCC, and Netiquette

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Key points

  • SMTP sends mail; POP3 and IMAP receive it
  • IMAP keeps mail on the server and syncs across devices; POP3 downloads to one device
  • SMTP port 25, POP3 110, IMAP 143, HTTP 80, HTTPS 443, FTP 21
  • CC addresses are visible to all; BCC addresses are hidden from everyone
  • Reply All never reaches BCC recipients
  • Official work must use the official e-mail service, not personal accounts
  • Typing in full capitals is read as shouting
  • In Outlook Ctrl+F means Forward
On this page
  1. E-mail protocols
  2. Other common ports
  3. To, CC and BCC
  4. Mailbox folders and file types
  5. Official e-mail use
  6. Netiquette
  7. Shortcuts

E-mail protocols

ProtocolFunctionDefault port
SMTPSending e-mail25, with 587 for submission and 465 for SMTPS
POP3Downloads mail to one device and usually removes it from the server110, secure 995
IMAPKeeps mail on the server and syncs it across devices143, secure 993
MIMEAllows attachments, images and non-English charactersNot a transport protocol

Key point

SMTP is only for sending. If a question describes the same mailbox syncing across a desktop, laptop and phone, the answer is IMAP, not POP3.

Other common ports

ProtocolPort
HTTP80
HTTPS443
FTP21 for control, 20 for data
SSH22
Telnet23
DNS53

To, CC and BCC

  • To: the main recipients, those expected to act.
  • CC, Carbon Copy: for information. CC addresses are visible to every recipient.
  • BCC, Blind Carbon Copy: hidden. A BCC address is invisible to everyone, including other BCC recipients.

Reply goes only to the sender. Reply All goes to the sender and all To and CC recipients, but never to BCC recipients, because their addresses are not in the message header at all.

Example

To send a tender corrigendum to 200 vendors without exposing their addresses, put the office address in To and all vendor addresses in BCC. This also prevents a mass Reply All chain. The corrigendum must still be published on the e-procurement portal as the rules require.

Mailbox folders and file types

Inbox holds received mail, Drafts unsent mail, Outbox mail waiting to go, Sent mail already sent, and Spam or Junk unwanted bulk mail. File types include .eml for a single message, .msg for an Outlook message and .pst for an Outlook data file.

Official e-mail use

The E-mail Policy of the Government of India issued by MeitY requires official communication to use the e-mail service provided by the government or the institution. Verify against the latest official instructions. Government departments use the NIC e-mail service, while IITs use their own .ac.in domain. Official records must not be sent to personal e-mail accounts and passwords must never be shared.

Netiquette

  • Write a clear and specific subject line.
  • Do not type in full capitals, which reads as shouting.
  • Keep the language brief and courteous, with a proper salutation and signature.
  • Avoid unnecessary Reply All.
  • Use BCC when writing to many external recipients, to protect their addresses.
  • Check that the attachment is actually attached before sending, and use an access-controlled cloud link for large files.
  • Do not forward chain mail or unverified messages.

Shortcuts

BrowserActionMS OutlookAction
Ctrl+TNew tabCtrl+NNew message
Ctrl+Shift+TReopen last closed tabCtrl+RReply
Ctrl+Shift+NNew incognito windowCtrl+Shift+RReply All
Ctrl+HHistoryCtrl+FForward, not Find
Ctrl+DBookmark the pageF9Send and receive

Exam tip

In Outlook, Ctrl+F means Forward, unlike Word and Excel where it means Find. Searching in Outlook uses F3 or Ctrl+E.

Practice questions

Answer all, then check. Explanations appear after checking.

1Which protocol is used to send e-mail from a client to a mail server?
2An officer reads official mail on a desktop, a laptop and a phone and wants all three to show the same folders and read status. Which protocol suits this best?
3What is the default port number for HTTPS?
4Consider: 1. CC addresses are visible to all other recipients. 2. BCC recipients can see the addresses of other BCC recipients. 3. Reply All from a To recipient also reaches BCC recipients. Which are correct?
5A section must e-mail a tender corrigendum to 200 external vendors without revealing any vendor address to the others. What is the most appropriate method?

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