# E-mail hyperlinks on web pages: Why don't they work? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 27, 2000, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108 "2000-07-27T21:31:15Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 10\ **Page:** 1
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/1 "2000-07-27T21:31:15Z")
This may be just because I use computers in public places, such as a college library or Kinko’s. I don’t have one at home. But why is this? What if the web page doesn’t spell out the URL for the e-mail address–how do you find out what the proper URL is so you can then log onto Hotmail (as I do) or whatever other e-mail service, to send an e-mail in the customary way? I even logged onto my own sister’s website and I couldn’t send e-mail even after clicking onto the appropriate hyperlink. How do I overcome this difficulty? ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 9:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/2 "2000-07-27T21:38:45Z")
You can hover the mouse over the email link and in IE you can usually see the destination in the lower left hand corner of the browser window. It will say “[mailto:person@somewhere.com](mailto:person@somewhere.com)” The reason you can’t email directly is there is no default email program if you are using public internet access. ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/3 "2000-07-27T21:40:31Z")
stupid smilie “[mailto:person@somewhere.com](mailto:person@somewhere.com)” ---
**Author:** ![pricciar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f4b2a3/32.png) [@pricciar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pricciar)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/4 "2000-07-27T21:50:48Z")
You can also right click on the hyperlink and copy the hyperlink information. Then when you get to hotmail just paste it into the To: box. Remeber to delete the mailto: that will copy into the box. on Netscape its called “Copy Link Location” On IE, I think its “copy shortcut information” Or something like that. pat ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/5 "2000-07-27T22:55:49Z")
[QUOTE] You can also right click on the hyperlink and copy the hyperlink information. Then when you get to hotmail just paste it into the To: box. Remeber to delete the mailto: that will copy into the box.{/QUOTE] Thanks, Pricciar. 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![techchick68](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@techchick68](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/techchick68)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/6 "2000-07-27T23:13:56Z")
Oh sure P, show up the techchick \< giggle \> I forgot about that one. Damn – P made me look like a fool! 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/7 "2000-07-27T23:24:03Z")
Or, if you’re using a fun browser like Lynx, it has e-mail built in, and if you haven’t filled out any information, will prompt you for an e-mail address as part of the process of sending the comment… ---
**Author:** ![handy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/b5a626/32.png) [@handy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/handy)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 11:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/8 "2000-07-27T23:35:54Z")
What browser are you using? Ever use anything like Get Right? Some Java programs can do this to your hyperlinking. You can restart your browswer to clear it up. You can right click & select ‘open in new window’ but better to close your browser & reopen it. ---
**Author:** ![Kyberneticist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/dc4da7/32.png) [@Kyberneticist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kyberneticist)\ **Post date:** [July 27, 2000, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/9 "2000-07-27T23:51:54Z")
What I mean is that if you hit a mailto link in Lynx, and you haven’t bothered to create an e-mail profile like you’d have to do with, say, Netscape Mail, it will simply prompt you with a field to fill out your e-mail address. Send e-mail as anyone! 🙂 Getright? I prefer wget. Free, continue download option, includes recursive site grabs that let it work as a net bot (honors net bot rules by default) ---
**Author:** ![Mu\_Mu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/b5e925/32.png) [@Mu\_Mu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mu_Mu)\ **Post date:** [July 28, 2000, 2:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/e-mail-hyperlinks-on-web-pages-why-dont-they-work/27108/10 "2000-07-28T02:50:12Z")
You need a pop3 mome-bound mail server to use them. Don’t waste your time. Web-based mail is far superior. Just cut and paste addresses into your regular account.