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QUESTION:

I use America Online and have found it easy to use especially with its email service. When I send an email to another AOL subscriber, AOL will tell me if it was read and the time it was viewed. I can even "unsend" an email if I change my mind for whatever reason. However, if I send an email to someone on the Internet, all of those abilities and other similar features are not possible. Why not?

ANSWER:

AOL is a proprietary subscription service and maintains full control over all of its features such as email. Since all communications are routed through AOL itself, it's relatively easy for them to know who is sending what to where and at all times. Subscriber-to-subscriber email is completely under AOL's control so it's relatively easy for them inform that your email has been successfully delivered, read and even to let you unsend if it hasn't been already read.

Conversely, the Internet is owned by no one and a typical piece of email gets routed through countless unknown computer systems and servers owned by independent companies and individuals. There's no easy way for your Internet service provider to be able to completely track how your email gets from point A to point B. And there's certainly no easy way for them to recall it if you change your mind. We think of email as being completely reliable but the reality is that I'm constantly amazed that my email makes it through such a complex and diverse network. However, one company which has recognized the need of senders to have more control and security over their email is 1on1mail.com.

1on1mail.com creates its own virtual network within the Internet via proprietary software that runs on both the sender's and receiver's computer. The 1on1mail.com email application is a complete stand-alone email program like Microsoft's Outlook or Qualcomm's Eudora. But unlike the others, 1on1mail.com automatically keeps track of an email's delivery path from start to finish by appending proprietary tracking and encryption data to all the email that travels within its virtual network. So with 1on1mail.com, you reclaim those lost AOL abilities such as being to unsend an email. But 1on1mail.com goes a lot farther.

You can unsend email even after it's been read and you can even put a time limit on an email so as to make it self destruct after a given time. Other security measures let you define your email as read-only to prevent the recipient from printing it or even saving the email to disk. And 1on1mail.com lets you encrypt email with one of the strongest encryption methods available. So you can be assured that the only one reading your email is the one to whom it's being sent. Best of all, 1on1mail.com follows the paid for by advertising model so the program is completely free. 1on1mail.com users see ad banners within the application's window while it is in use. So if you want the ultimate in email controls and privacy, check out 1on1mail.com where the application can be freely downloaded. For Windows 95 and later only.

www.1on1mail.com