Email is one of the most popular Internet tools these days, but it can be very boring and ugly. After all, it's just text, right? But what if you could use HTML to create email that looks nice, includes images and links, and makes your email exciting. Once you start using HTML email, your email will take on the feeling of a newsletter instead of just simple notes to your friends and family. You can even set up templates to send your email in a special format depending upon what you want to write.

To send HTML email, you need an email account that supports standard email protocols like POP, s, and SMTP. Your email account should also support MIME types. Nearly all Internet email accounts work with POP or IMAP and use SMTP to send mail. You'll need an email client or Web based email program that supports sending and receiving HTML email. HotMail is a good Web based email service, or you can use an email client like Netscape Messenger or Microsoft Outlook to send and receive your HTML email.

When you send graphical Email with your HTML Email Program, you’re including two copies of your typed message: a graphical copy, and a plain text copy that absolutely every Email program in the world can display in black-and-white. 

The graphical Email content is included in such a way that it pops up into view if the recipient’s Email program can view it. 

If the recipient’s Email program cannot display graphical (HTML) Email, then the plain text copy is what they see.  (In the case of plain text only Email software, the included graphical copy may appear as one or more attachments.

Sending Your Mail Once you've built your HTML email, you send it with an email client that supports HTML email, like Netscape Messenger, Microsoft Outlook, Eudora, and others. In most of these clients, you will need to find the correct setting to set up HTML email.

Netscape Messenger (4.7): Click on "Edit" and choose "Preferences" Choose "Formatting" Make sure "Use the HTML editor to compose messages" is selected Decide how you want people who can't read HTML email to receive it Click "OK".

Outlook Express: Click on "Tools" and choose "Options" Switch to the "Send" tab Make sure that the Mail sending format is "HTML" Click "OK".

Outlook 98/2000: Click on "Tools" and choose "Options". Select Mail Format on the top bar, in Message Format choose HTML. Click "OK".

Remember, Not Everyone Has HTML Email If you send HTML email to a person who's email client doesn't support it, they will get the HTML as plain text. Unless they are a Web developer, comfortable with HTML, they may see the letter as a lot of gobbledygook and delete it without attempting to read it. If you're sending out an email newsletter, you should give your readers the opportunity to choose HTML email or plain text. If you're just using it to send to friends and family, you should make sure they can read HTML email before sending to them.

All current Email programs/providers support HTML Email (Netscape, Outlook, Yahoo, Hotmail, Altavista, Eudora Pro etc. At the moment AOL 6.0 will allow you to receive HTML but not send them out.