What is email (electronic mail)?

THEME: E-mail.

What is email (electronic mail)?

Email (electronic mail) is the exchange of computer-stored messages from one user to one or more recipients via the internet. Emails are a fast, inexpensive and accessible way to communicate for business or personal use. Users can send emails from anywhere as long as they have an internet connection, which is typically provided by an internet service provider.
Email is exchanged across computer networks, primarily the internet, but it can also be exchanged between both public and private networks, such as a local area network. Email can be distributed to lists of people as well as to individuals. A shared distribution list can be managed using an email reflector. Some mailing lists enable users to subscribe by sending a request to the mailing list administrator. A mailing list that's administered automatically is called a list server.
The TCP/IP suite of protocols provides a flexible email system that's built on basic protocols, including Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP) for sending mail, and Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) for receiving mail. Alternatively, the Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP) can be used for receiving mail, as it enables access to email from any device, anywhere. With POP3, the email message is downloaded from the email service and stored on the requesting device and can only be accessed using the same device.
Email messages are usually encoded in American Standard Code for Information Interchange (ASCII) format. However, users can also send non-text files -- such as graphic images and sound files -- as file attachments. Email was one of the first activities performed over the internet and is still the most popular use. A large percentage of the total traffic over the internet is email.

Differences between email and webmail

Today, the term email is often used to include both browser-based electronic mail, such as Gmail and AOL Mail, and non-browser-based electronic mail accessed through an email client such as Microsoft Outlook for Office 365. However, in the past, email was defined as a non-browser program that required a dedicated email server with the client software installed on the computer.
The advantages of using non-browser email include easier integration with business software platforms, enhanced security and lack of advertisements. However, in order for the email to be accessed, it requires an email client be installed directly onto the computer. Although many email clients are free, others are available for a minimal charge.
The biggest advantage of webmail is that it's free to use, can be accessed from anywhere and is hosted in the cloud, which automatically synchronizes the email to all devices, including desktop computers, tablets or smartphones.