There are three choices for addressing an e-mail, i.e. the 'To', 'Cc' and 'Bcc' fields. This means that when you are sending an email to someone you can type e-mail addresses in one or all of those fields.
To: every email address on the TO: line is seen by everone else whose name/email is on the TO: line
(The section below is from About.com)
CC: "Cc" is short for "carbon copy".
A copy of exactly the same message is also sent to all the addresses listed in the Cc: field.
There can be more than one email address in this field, and they all get a copy.
To enter more than one address in the Cc: field, separate them with commas.
The Shortcomings of Cc:
When you send a message to more than one address using the Cc: field, both the original recipient and all the recipients of the carbon copies see the To: and Cc: fields including all the addresses in them.
Full Cc: fields also don't look all that good.
They can become quite long and grow big on the screen.
There will be lots of email addresses and little message text.
Bcc:
The Bcc: field helps you deal with the problems created by Cc:.
As it is the case with the Cc: field, a copy of the message goes to every single email address appearing in the Bcc: field.
The difference is that neither the Bcc: field itself nor the email addresses in it appear in any of the copies (and not in the message sent to the person in the To: field either).
The only recipient address that will be visible to all recipients is the one in the To: field.
So, to keep maximum anonymity you can put your own address in the To: field and use Bcc: exclusively to address your message.
First, there are the users who have no idea that the 'Cc' exists.
Every address is listed in the 'To' even if the email is only directed to one person.
In cases such as this the receivers have no clue as to who should take action so either they all do something or they all do nothing.
Secondly, there are users who feel that every single e-mail should be copied to their entire address book whether it's relevant to those receiving it or not.
Lastly, there are users who never read the names of the people who receive a copy of an e-mail.
They are the 'Did you see this?' crowd.
For example, person X sends an e-mail to persons A, B and C. C immediately forwards it to A and B with the question 'Did you see this?' not bothering to see that X already sent A and B copies.
In summary, here's a rough guide on how to handle the address fields:
* The addresses in the 'To' are for the people you are directly addressing.
* The addresses in the 'Cc' are for the people you are indirectly addressing.
* Copy only those who need to be copied; not your entire universe of contacts.
The 'To' and 'Cc' addresses are blind to the 'Bcc' addresses.
My opinion is to send every email with the addresses in .BCC unless you are sending it to one person.
This helps keep the issue of everyone knowing everyone else's email at a minimum and protects peoples privacy
The 'Reply to All' button is just a button, but it can generate tons of unnecessary e-mails.
For example, if I send a dozen people an e-mail asking if they are available at a certain time for a meeting I should get a dozen replies and that's it.
However, if each person hits the "Reply to All' button not only do I get a dozen replies, but so does everyone else for a total of 144 messages!
Don't use the Reply To All Button
Messages should be concise and to the point.
Think of it as a telephone conversation, except you are typing instead of speaking.
Nobody has ever won a Pulitzer Prize for a telephone conversation nor will they win one for an e-mail message.
It's also important to remember that some people receive hundreds of e-mail messages a day, so the last thing they want to see is a message that goes on and on for no reason
Formatting can be everything, but not here. Plain text is it. Period. End of sentence.
Using HTML or Rich Text Format, to format messages so that they have fancy fonts, colors or whatever causes problems for the people you are sending the emails to.
There are lots of e-mail clients (and some servers) which cannot read messages in these
formats.
The message will look like gibberish or in the worst case, crash the e-mail client.
Don't add the colorful backgrounds, scripty fonts and animated images to emails to technical support or any other business.
send an e-mail in all UPPER-CASE.
Use of upper-case words is the equivalent of shouting in some one's ear.
It is very rude and you should only use all upper case if you are trying to make a point or to shout & be rude.
Even at that, you should be careful with who you are exchanging messages.
Request email technical support help without providing specific information.
Remember, the world (and its users) is made up of every kind of computer imaginable, from PCs to Macs to Linux workstations to the one your neighbor assembled in his garage.
The correct method would be to list all the system specifics first, then describe the problem or question.
For example, your problem is?
Is it an Email problem,
is it a dial up connection problem?
Is it that you want to ask a question?
It is helpful for us to know what Operating System you are using - as in WinXP, Win98, Macintosh,or other?
If it is an E-Mail problem we need to know - do you use Outlook Express, Eudora, Thunderbird, Webmail or other?
We also need to know the user/log in name you are using, the entire email address, the password and a BRIEF description of the problem.
Here is an example;
Name: Joe Blow
Email address: joeblow@gct21.net
Log in: joeblow
Password: whocares
Opertating system: WinXP
Email Client: Outlook Express
Problem: I can recieve email but cannot send email to anyone. I am getting an error message 550 - cannot send, etc..
* I have read the help and troubleshooting for email and I did not see this issue posted (this part does not usually happen but it would be nice if people would look at our site for help)
Use Virus Quarantine and Spam Management services
Immediately delete email with attachments from senders you do not recognize.
It is most likely "spam". Do not click open web links in messages from unknown sources.
Never run an executable file (e.g., .exe) from an email. We block these but just in case something gets through DO NOT RUN IT
·Do not forward personal email without the author's knowledge and permission, if you do make sure you delete/remove all traces of where the email came from originally
·Do not forward chain letters. Delete them.
Never answer "spam". Your response will confirm your email address. Delete the message instead.
·Do not forward virus hoaxes.
Use clear and meaningful subject lines, clearly summarize the contents of your message in the subject line
Limit the list of recipients and Cc:'s only to the people who are directly involved with the subject.
Do not capitalize whole words that are not titles. Capitalizing is generally interpreted as SHOUTING to your reader.
Assume the good intentions and competence of the sender.
Think three times: before you write, after you write and before you send your message.
Carefully compose all responses, be concise in all your messages.
Use BCCs (Blind Carbon Copies) when addressing a message that will go to a large group of people who don't necessarily know each other.
Keep your messages short and focused.
If you are replying to a message but are changing the subject of the conversation, change the subject too - or better still, start a new message altogether.
The subject is usually the easiest way to follow the thread of a conversation, so changing the conversation without changing the subject can be confusing and can make filing difficult.
Do not format your e-mail with colored text and background colors or images in your day to day communications.
Make a reasonable effort to search a Web site or the Internet for the information you are looking for.