Some of you may not have an e-mail account, or have to share an e-mail account with others, but would like to do some private chatter. What are the solutions?
Open a private internet account
For Malaysian residents, you can apply through our 2 main Internet Service Providers (ISP) -
JARING and TMnet. The total connection cost is 2.5 sen per minute. There are other providers as well such as
IBM (VADS IBM Global Network Internet Services), Nasionet, etc. which charge a little bit higher. You can apply for JARING at any Bank Simpanan Nasional branch while Kedai Telekom handles TMnet applications. 5 additional ISP's have been approved
by the cabinet and will commence operations in September 98.
Employers with Internet connections
Some companies have a presence on the net and provide their employees with individual accounts, e.g. CIMB, IJM, etc. The e-mail address would look like employee@employer.com.my or employee@employer.org.my
And it's free. Hidden cost - privacy. All e-mails are the property of the company and the materials can actually be used against you in a suit.
If the e-mail address is employer@po.jaring.my or employer@tm.net.my, it means that the employer is stingy or does not see the benefits of IT, and has only one account for the whole company (need to look impressive but going only halfway). Do NOT use this as everyone in the company can read the mails.
Cybercafes
This is ideal for those without an access to computers with modems. You just have to hop over to your favourite joint for a mocha and surf to your heart's content. But,
the rates are not cheap (neither are the beverages). The typical rate is RM 4 an hour surfing time. However, the operators maintain the e-mail account for you, offline.
Free e-mail services on the Internet
For the rest of you who sometimes have to borrow your boyfriend/brother's PC and use their accounts, and write steamy stuff to others, or had to use the exhorbitantly priced NetCard kiosks (RM 10 an hour), there's still hope. There are some companies that provide e-mail accounts for free on the internet. You can apply at the following:
| Comparison of different services |
These sites provide mailboxes are not unlike the P.O. Box at the post offices. You can maintain your mails at the site, reading and writing through your web browser. The messages are kept at the server, and it's password protected. If you do have a proper e-mail account later, you can always request for all mails to be diverted to the new address.The providers will remove your account after a certain period of inactivity, e.g. 3 to 4 months. Be courteous and activate it regularly, by logging in.