How to Create an Email Address:

1. If you've already got an email account, you're welcome to use it for this class.  If not, this page will help you reach a site on the web that will provide a free email address for you.  Remember, you can use this address for the purposes of this class, but you can use it also for communicating with friends in other cities, states, or countries.  And after the semester is over, your email address will still be valid.
2. Why is it that companies on the web are willing to offer you free email?  In a word, advertising.  But remember, you do not need to buy or download anything for the purposes of our course.  In fact, I advise against it.
3. So, here's how to do it:  First go to one of the free email providers on the web.  There are many of them, but here are a couple that you might consider:      yahoo.com       hotmail.com    Or you can go to http://www.emailaddresses.com for a site that claims to offer around 1,100 sources of free email.
4. At this point, I can't give you specific instructions on how to sign up for each email program;  while they're all similar, they have a few differences, too.  The main thing to remember is this:  these programs are designed for people without a great deal of computer expertise.  If you carefully follow the directions on the screen, you'll get there.
5. Ordinarily, you'll look on the screen for some direction that takes you to "email."  At the top of yahoo.com, for example, you find "Check Email," which leads you to a screen that invites you to "Sign up now to enjoy Yahoo! Mail."  Then it becomes just a matter of answering the questions on the screen.
6. Most of the email providers will ask you to create a User I.D.  Often that will be the first part of your email address;  the second part will probably be assigned to you:  it could be something like jcrisp@yahoo.com.
7. You'll create a password.  Watch for directions on how many letters or numbers it should have and whether or not capitalization makes a difference.  Usually they'll ask you to type it twice, and your screen will show asterisks, rather than your password.
8. Usually the email provider will ask you a few other questions, and it may give you the opportunity to be receive online advertisements or updates.  You needn't sign up for any of those.
9. At the bottom of the screen, you'll usually find a "Submit" button or its equivalent.  Push it.
10. Often the email provider will tell you that someone else has already chosen your User I.D.  It'll allow you to choose a new one, or it will give you several choices that are similar to your old one.  Create or pick the new User I.D., as needed.
11. Submit again, and you should be in business.
12. Finally, be sure that you write down your email address AND your password.  Quit the program and try logging on.

Now you've got an email address that you can use to communicate with just about anyone else who has one.  Remember that even though you're using a password, email is not particularly confidential or secret.  It's not likely that anyone's going to look through your email, but for people with a little skill at this sort of thing, it's not hard to do.  So be somewhat careful with what you say.