I have a Mac Mini and would like to use the Mail program, but I have
no idea how to set it up.

It?s asking me about POP and IMAP accounts, I don?t know any of this stuff.

How do I set up Mail?

---

Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 21 Nov 2006 23:15 PST

Howdy markabe-ga,

What is the name of your Internet Service Provider (ISP)?  Do not provide your
email address or username on that service, just the name of the company through
which you access the internet, such as AOL, NetZero, etc.  Thanks!

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

---

Clarification of Question by markabe-ga on 21 Nov 2006 23:22 PST

I'm in Australia and use Optus Broadband.

For my email I use Hotmail and Yahoo.

---

Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 22 Nov 2006 00:00 PST

Howdy markabe-ga,

I am going to post this as a request for clarification, so you can make sure it
works for you.  If it does work, please tell me so that I can then post this as
the answer to your question.  Thanks!

Please follow the instructions on the following OptusNet website page.
http://www.optusnet.com.au/help/dial/connected/mac/email

That should take care of your problem, but if you already have a Hotmail and
Yahoo email account, there is no real reason to set up another mail program,
unless you really want to do so.  Receiving your email through on online web
based email account protects you from viruses as well as saving you space on
your computer's hard drive.

Instead of setting up Mail on your computer, just use the web browser that
comes with your computer (Safari), go to the Hotmail or Yahoo Mail website,
and continue receiving your email that way.

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

---

Clarification of Question by markabe-ga on 22 Nov 2006 01:03 PST

denco-ga,

OK, it kinda works, but two problems:

It wouldn't let me switch off SSL as in Step 5

And it shows my Optus email account, which I don't use. I want to use
my Hotmail and Yahoo accounts instead.

How do I fix these problems?

---

Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 22 Nov 2006 09:48 PST

Howdy markabe-ga,

You should not be using the "Mail" program at all then.  Instead, you have a
program called "Safari," which is a web browser.

Start up "Safari" and then go to either of the following websites.

Hotmail - www.hotmail.com
http://www.hotmail.com/

Yahoo Mail - mail.yahoo.com
http://mail.yahoo.com/

Once at either of those websites, logon with your username and password for
that website, and read your email.

The bottom line is that the easy route to getting your Yahoo or Hotmail email
is through a web browser, such as Safari, as you can't readily get email from
either of those services through the "Mail" program.

Please try the above and report your progress back here.  Thanks!

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

---

Clarification of Question by markabe-ga on 26 Nov 2006 23:28 PST

denco-ga,

So you're saying I can't use Mail with my Hotmail account?

---

Request for Question Clarification by denco-ga on 27 Nov 2006 15:00 PST

Howdy markabe-ga,

If you want to try a "plugin," you could try this.

"httpmail plugin 1.49"
http://www.macupdate.com/info.php/id/10842

"...
DESCRIPTION

httpmail plugin allows the standard Mac OS X Mail application (Mail.app) to
retrieve your Hotmail email. Once plugged in you will get all the benefits of
Mail.

WHAT'S NEW

Version 1.49: 
Universal build for both Intel and PowerPC machines.

REQUIREMENTS

Mac OS X 10.4 or later, Hotmail account.

RELATED LINKS
Version for OS X 10.3 is available here. 
Version for OS X 10.2 is available here.
..."

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

---

Clarification of Question by markabe-ga on 28 Nov 2006 17:59 PST

Still can't get Mail to work with Hotmail.

Screw it, I'll accept your answer though.

Howdy markabe-ga,

I am truly sorry we couldn't get Mail to work with your Hotmail account, but
that is more due to the fact that Hotmail email is set up to be accessed by
a web browser, such as Safari, and not through an email program, such as Mail.

The changes that Hotmail has been making into the Windows Live environment has
probably just made the process of accessing Hotmail through a Mail "plugin"
harder still.

I can make the suggestion that you get a Google email account (Gmail) for
several reasons, such as it has larger storage than the other services and you
should be able to set up Mail and q mobile phone to work with it.

On the downside, you need to get an "invitation" to get an account, unless
you have a mobile phone.  More on this can be found at the Gmail website.
http://www.gmail.com/

"Gmail is a new kind of webmail, built on the idea that email can be more
intuitive, efficient and useful. And maybe even fun. And now, when you're on
the go, you can take all that fun with you, with the new downloadable Gmail for
mobile devices ..."

Just ask around and someone you know will have a Gmail account.

Again, apologies on all the work for naught, and much thanks for accepting this
as the answer to your question.

Looking Forward, denco-ga - Google Answers Researcher

Very patient, great responses to my requests for clarification.

Much thanks for the too kind comments and 5 star rating, markabe-ga.