“Of Mice and Megabytes Supplement”

HOW TO CREATE A GROUP MAILING LIST IN OUTLOOK EXPRESS
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If you ever e-mail the same group of people on a regular basis, here’s a tip and also the subject of this week’s column: Personal e-mailing lists (or groups as Microsoft puts it). These instructions are specific to Microsoft Outlook Express but the same principle can be applied to other e-mail programs.

OPEN YOUR ADDRESS BOOK
In Outlook Express, click on the tool bar icon that looks like a book. This is your Address book. If you don’t see the icon, select the menu item Tools, then Address Book.

CREATE THE MAIL LIST NAME
When opened, your Address book will display side-by-side windows. In the left window you should see a folder titled Main Identity’s Contacts. Click ONCE on the folder. From the menu, click File, then New Group. A new window, Properties, will emerge. In the space next to the words Group Name, enter a name appropriate for your mailing list. For this example we’ll use Poker Buddies. You can also use multiple words and spaces. Hint: Precede the name Poker Buddies with an asterisk and it’ll be displayed at the top of the selection list when addressing.

ADD NAMES TO YOUR LIST
On the right, click the Select Members button. A window appears titled Select Group Members. Make sure the Main Identity’s Contacts is selected in the drop down list located under the button titled Find. In the left window, find those friends you would like to add to this newly created list. Click once on the name, then click on the button separating the two windows titled Select. (Or, you can select multiple names by holding down the Ctrl key then finding and clicking on the desired names. When completed, release the Ctrl key, then click Select and all will be added.) Repeat as necessary until the right window displays all the names you’d like for the mail list. Click OK.

You’ll be back at the Poker Buddies Properties window. Notice the Group Members window now contains the names of your card playing friends. You can also add a new friend/contact that maybe wasn’t contained in your Address book. If so: In the Name and E-Mail fields located at the bottom, enter the information, then click Add. If all looks well, click OK.

You’ll be back at your Address Book. Your new mailing list, Poker Buddies, will be included under the folder Main Identity’s Contacts. Close your Address Book by clicking on the X located in the upper right corner.

ADDRESSING YOUR MESSAGE
Start your next e-mail to your gambling cohorts as usual but instead of selecting each name individually, select Poker Buddies. It’ll be listed in bold with your other Address book contacts. Notice that as you compose the e-mail, the To: field indicates only the words Poker Buddies. This is merely a label indicating multiple recipients. Once sent, check your Sent folder and you’ll see the names your message was addressed to.

Re-printed from the Rafu Shimpo, April 2002. Copyright©2002 Rafu Shimpo. All rights reserved.