E-zines
Think of an e-zine like a magazine subscription that comes directly to your e-mail. Some e-zines are very sophisticated and done in html. Your e-mail must be able to interpret html e-mail or else it will look like a bunch of code. Others are just simply text documents. Sometimes there will be attachments to the e-mail and othertimes will be links to places on a web site.
In order to get an e-zine, you must subscribe to it. Many times, these e-zines will have useful information along with ads. Sometimes newbies have gone off half cocked claiming to be spammed when they see a bunch of advertising attached with the e-zine.
In order to get an e-zine in your e-mail, either you or someone else sends in your e-mail address to subscribe.
The most services will have a confirmation to verify that you actually requested a subscription by sending you a note in your e-mail. You must respond to that e-mail in order to have the subscription start. That way there is no question that you, personally, wanted a subscription and there will be proof you did subscribe.
It is important that you keep track of which ezines you subscribe. You may have subscribed to them and forgotten or may have been put on them by someone who has an axe to grind with you. If you find you have a subscription you do not remember signing up for, don't take your hostility out on the owner of the ezine.
Most of these cases are not due to the owner of the e-zine signing you up without your permission, but as a result simple forgetfulness. Don't overreact if this happens to you. Calmly ask how you got on the list and ask to be removed. If you ask, you might see there is proof you subscribed or a trail leading to who did it to you.
E-zines are a great and easy way to access information, but some are totally useless and nothing but advertising. If you have had a bad experience with one, don't write them all off as bad. An e-zine is only as good as its editor. Much like there are many magazines available in the real world, there will be some you like, some you hate and some you are indifferent to.
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