Attachments are a powerful feature of email, which enables you to enclosed additional files (e.g. Data files, spread sheets, word processor documents) with your email. Although attachments can be very useful they should be used sparingly and with care to avoid security or other problems.

Hints on receiving attachments

• NEVER open an unexpected attachment even if it is from someone you know. Their computer may be infected with a virus, which has sent an email containing the virus onto everyone (including you) in their address book.
• If you were expecting the attachment, check that accompanying text gives an adequate explanation of what the attachment is and why it is being sent. Some virus include simple text to encourage you to open the attachment
  • e.g. "here is the file you wanted" , " Wow look at this", " This is Hot"
• NEVER EVER open a file with a name ending in two thee letter extensions separated by a dot.
  • e.g. baby.jpg.exe picture.gif.doc
  • You can view attachment information in pine with the View (V) then AboutAttch (A) commands.
• On the PCs you can scan an attachment without opening it by first saving it and then running Trend Antivirus.
• Apple MAC and binhex mail

Hints on sending attachments

• Ask yourself:
  • Is it really necessary to send this file?
  • Is this the most appropriate format to send it in.
  • Is email the most appropriate method to send it.
  • Is the file too big, to send?
    • Your recipient may not be too happy, if your email uses up all their disk space or crashes their server.
    • Some service providers charges customers for the amount of disk space they use; so your email could cost the recipient REAL MONEY.
    • Most free web email accounts only provide a limited amount of storage
    • Remember binary files often double in size after they have been encoded as an email attachment
• Don't assume that the recipients email system can handle attachments and that their computer understands the same file formats as your computer.
  For example
  • Microsoft word files is not much use to someone who does not use word.
  • People reading their mail via a web browser in a cyber cafe may not have access to Word.
  • Apple MAC binhex format attachments are not much use on most of our systems
• If possible warn the recipient before you send the attachment.
  • Always include a text message with the attachment (not as part of the attachment)
  • Explain what is in the attachment and why the attachment is being sent.
  • Some people automatically delete unexpected attachments without opening them
  • The message should provide more detail than "Here is the file you wanted" or "Please look at this file"
• Word processor files (e.g. word)
  • Word *.doc format files can carry macro virus. To avoid inadvertently infecting your correspondents' computer send the file in "Rich Text Format (*.rtf)".
  • Word processing files are very bulky. Send a text file instead, unless you really need the extra formatting. For example: A one line memo saved as a word file contains over 19,000 characters

Saving files from Microsoft Word in Rich Text Format (*.rtf)

• From the file menu Select the "Save as " option
• Select "Rich Text Format (*.rtf)" from "Save as type" menu box

Saving files from Microsoft Word in Text Format (*.txt)

• From the file menu Select the "Save as " option
• Select "Text Only with Line breaks (*.txt)" or "Text Only (*.txt)" from "Save as type" menu box

$Revision: 1.3 $      $Date: 2001/09/25 14:43:53 $