|
< Previous | Next >
The Dartmouth network supports electronic mail (e-mail) programs that let you compose and send messages and read messages sent to you. When you send an e-mail message, it is delivered within minutes (in most cases) to the electronic "mailbox" of the recipient. The person need not be using the computer at the time the message is sent; the message will be held until the next time the person signs on to the application or in some cases to the computer, at which time he/she is notified that new e-mail is waiting. The message remains in the mailbox until the recipient decides to discard it.
It is easy to exchange e-mail with people at Dartmouth. The Dartmouth Name Directory (DND) is a database that contains the names and e-mail addresses of all students, faculty, and staff at Dartmouth. If you want to send e-mail to someone, all you need to know is his or her name; the DND supplies the e-mail address. You can also exchange e-mail messages with anyone by entering a valid e-mail address in the To: field.
In addition to providing standard e-mail features, BlitzMail has a number of other capabilities that make it easy to use. You can look up a name in the DND to verify the spelling and to check the entry to be sure that your e-mail message is going to the right person; you can send copies of the same message to several people at once; and you can print or save a copy of a message to your computer.
Note: As with all other e-mail systems, BlitzMail has a postmaster. Postmaster is a group of people who can help you if you have problems with BlitzMail or if messages are not delivered as you expected. Simply address a message to Postmaster and it will be forwarded to a member of the group. You can also get assistance by calling the IT Service Desk (Help Desk) at 646-2999 and selecting from the options provided, sending electronic mail to help@dartmouth.edu, or calling your department's IT support office.
Privacy Information
The privacy of e-mail is somewhere between that of a letter and a postcard. E-mail is not entirely confidential. For example, on occasion, system administrators may have to gain access to a message to troubleshoot problems. In addition, when e-mail users reveal their passwords to others, the security and privacy of their e-mail accounts are compromised. For that reason, you should always choose a password that is difficult to guess (including numbers and letters), change your password often, and you should never reveal your password to anyone! (Another good rule of thumb is never to put something in an e-mail message that you would not want to be shared with an auditorium full of strangers!)
When an employee leaves or a student graduates from Dartmouth, their BlitzMail account is normally deactivated within 30 days of their departure. Terminated employees should remove personal e-mail, folders, and addresses from their account before leaving, set an appropriate vacation message, and if appropriate, forward their account. (Computing Services will not automatically provide access to mail accounts for terminated employees.) Two documents contain more details on this subject: Vox Online Network (for Alumni) and Computing Beyond the Dartmouth Campus.
< Previous | Next >
|
