Get started with Linux - part 2

Setting up email
Ubuntu includes an email program called Evolution. It is more like Outlook than Outlook Express or Windows Mail as it can organise your calendar, to do list items and contacts information as well as email messages.

To start it, click on the Applications menu then Internet and Evolution Mail. When you run it for the first time the Setup Assistant wizard will start automatically.

Click on the Forward button, and again if it offers to restore from a backup. Enter your name and email address, and click on Forward again. Select the correct server type from the top menu. For most email accounts this will be Pop although some services use Imap instead ­ - check with your internet service provider (ISP) if you are unsure.

Enter your username, which will normally be either your email address (yourname@someisp.com) or just the first part (yourname).

It makes life easier to tick the Remember Password option. Click on Forward. Choose how often you want Evolution to check for new messages. If this option is left unticked Evolution will only check when it is told.

If you are accessing emails from more than one computer it is very important to select the option Leave messages on server. Click on Forward. Now fill in the details for the SMTP server ­ - this is the server that sends emails. Ask your ISP if you do not know it. Click Forward, give the account a name and click Forward again.

The final step asks you to select your time zone: the easiest way is to click on the dot marking London on the map then click Forward. Click on Apply to finish the wizard and start Evolution. Click the Send/Receive button to download any messages that are waiting for you, or click the New button to start creating a new message.

Using the web
Ubuntu comes with a copy of Firefox that’s ready to use, so anyone who’s used the same browser in Windows should feel immediately at home.

To start Firefox simply click Applications, then Internet, then Firefox. There’s also a handy shortcut icon on the top taskbar, just to the right of the menus.

The only notable difference between Firefox on Windows and Firefox in Ubuntu is the location of the Preferences option. If you want to change any options in Firefox when running Ubuntu, look in the Edit menu rather than Tools.