This advanced mail feature enables you to go online, either immediately or at hour(s) you designate, and send and retrieve mail waiting.
READ INCOMING/OUTGOING MAIL
Once retrieved (see instructions below), your new mail is stored on your disk in your "Flashbox" and can be accessed by using the"Read Incoming Mail" option. Likewise, choose "Read Outgoing Mail" to review any mail you've written and designated to "Send Later," but haven't yet sent.
SCHEDULE FLASHMAIL
Fill out this form to set up a schedule for your software to go online and to post and retrieve mail. To use this feature:
-Choose a time of day to begin signing on. First type in the hour on the 24 hour clock when you want to begin automatic sign on. Then choose the half hour in which you want to sign on. To choose your half hour, click in the shaded box to the right of "Starting at," move the mouse to your desired time, and release it. (We do this to balance the load on our computers.)
-Next, pick the length of time between sign ons. To choose, click in the shaded box to the right of the words "Go online...", move the mouse to your choice, and release. Your choices are: Every half hour, every hour, every two hours, every four hours, and every eight hours.
-Now, check off the boxes that represent the days of the week when you want to sign on. An "X" will appear next to the selected days.
-Choose the screen name or names for which you want to sign on. Each time you activate a screen name, you will be prompted for the password for that screen name. (That way you don't have to be around to type it in when the scheduled Flashmail occurs in the middle of the night!)
-Now, designate what you want done: post the mail you've written (and have chosen to "Send Later"); get your new mail (which is then stored on your disk in your Flashbox and can be read when you choose "Read Incoming Mail" from your Flashmail menu); or download the files attached to your mail. This last option, of course, is only meaningful if you've chosen to get your new mail. Some users may opt not to download attached files, since the files could be very lengthy. You can still go online to get them. Simply sign on and choose "Check Mail I've Read" from the Mail menu.
-Finally, you should click the "activation" box to the left of "Starting At...". This activates your Flashmail schedule. Then, a bolt of lightening appears in the Flashmail icon. A diamond-shaped symbol will also appear on the Flashmail entry on your mail menu to remind you that you have Flashmail activated.
You are now ready to send and receive mail, even while you sleep. All you have to do is make sure that your computer is on and America Online is running. Your Scheduled Flashmail will do the rest.
ACTIVATE MAIL NOW
This option, available online or off, provides an easy pathway for immediate mail retrieval. Simply select this option to automatically post and receive mail in one, quick step. Then read your mail and any attached files offline at your leisure.
