Online Communication
Core concepts
Online communication covers email, messaging, and collaboration tools. For email, know the fields: To (primary recipients), Cc (visible copies), Bcc (hidden copies), Subject, body, and attachments. Understand the address structure local-part@domain. Know reply versus reply-all, forwarding, signatures, and the difference between POP and IMAP in outline: POP typically downloads and can remove mail from the server, while IMAP keeps mail synchronised across devices.
Netiquette and traps
- Using reply-all when only the sender needs the answer exposes addresses unnecessarily.
- Putting a large list in To or Cc instead of Bcc discloses everyone's address.
- Forgetting attachments before sending, or attaching the wrong file.
- Replying to a spoofed display name without checking the actual address.
- Assuming a message is deleted everywhere once removed locally.
Rule of thumb
Before pressing send, check three things: correct recipients (To/Cc/Bcc), correct attachment, and a subject that states the purpose.
Worked example
You send a newsletter to 200 subscribers. Placing all addresses in To reveals every subscriber to everyone. Instead, address the message to yourself and put the list in Bcc, so each recipient sees only their own address and the sender.