E-MAIL

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E-MAIL. Forms: e-mail, E-mail, email, Email; full form electronic mail. The transmission of a message by electronic digital code; a message sent in this way: to receive news by e-mail; to get an e-mail message; to send someone an e-mail. Such messages may be brief notes, communications like traditional letters, or electronic files. Some systems are limited to one computer network, others have gateways to further systems, and others still (the majority) use the full range of the INTERNET. E-mail began in the US in 1964, and it is estimated that currently some 25m users send 15b messages a year by this means. E-mail messages may be sent to individuals or to groups, in which case transmission is called broadcasting. Email systems store messages in mailboxes with electronic addresses, which receivers check from time to time. After a message has been read, it can be electronically filed, copied to others, deleted, and/or printed out on paper. It usually takes only seconds for an e-mail message to reach its destination if nearby, or a few minutes if on the other side of the world.

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