Contact from a website.

[Iowa]

Despite my username I live  in the UK.

My ISP is BT (British Telecom).

I have 3 email addresses (all in my own name) at BT, Gmail, and Hotmail.

Recently I tried to contact the US TV channel, CNN, from their own website.

I'm not sure if CNN received the message as a poster does not always receive a reply.

I assumed my email would be sent thru' my ISP email address, but it did not show up in the sent column.

Would such a message sent from a form on a website go thru' the address provided by the poster's ISP or have I got this wrong?

 

 

 

 

 

[nukecad]

It would depend on how the website has configured their contact form.

It could be sent straight from their wepage with no reference to your email unless you provide it.

If it does rely on your email then it would usually open your email editor and pre-fill their address for you to send them an email.

If it doesnt open your email application then they won't have your address unless you give it.

There are still many out there who don't have or never use email.

[Iowa]

So if they do not open my email editor it is not possible for them to contact me unless I provided my address and I would, therefore, be unable to know, for certain, if they had received the email.

If it does rely on my email address then the one used will, presumably, be the address linked to my ISP. and so my email should appear in the sent column?

 

 

                                

[nukecad]

That's right.

Well not quite, it depends on how you have you computer/apps configured to use you email.

But if there is nothing showing as 'sent' in your email account then they have used a contact form and not your email.

Many websites have forms that will send them a message without gathering your details.

(Always providing this was CNN).

[Iowa]

Thanks for the information!

As an after thought, and probably showing my ignorance after  needing to edit  this post, how do I work out if I have

my "computer/apps configured to use" my email.

Unless the answer is fairly simple, and not too technical, don't bother with a reply.

I will leave that judgement up to you!

 

 

 

[nukecad]

To use your browser as an example:

if when you use a 'Contact Us' button (or similar) from a website it gives you a form to fill then it's not using, doesn't need to use, your email.
(It sends the form directly from the website without even touching your email account).

If however it does need use your email then either:
It will open your email editor that your browser app is set to use;
Or if you haven't set which email to use it will give you an error message, or  box to chose one.

This link shows an example of how this is set up in fireox, it's similar with other browsers:
https://support.mozilla.org/en-US/kb/change-program-used-open-email-links

It also tells you there how to set the default 'mail client' for the computer system to use.
Basically- Settings>Apps>Default apps>email
This is what will be used by the system, for instance if/when you right click a file and 'Send To > mail recipient'.
It will also be the default mail client by other apps, Word, Exel, etc. (Unless you override it in the settings of that particular app).