Hi all,

I'm trying to learn how to make dynamic websites and in a tutorial which I'm following, it requires me to set up some kind of mail server (??). Unfortunately, the tutorial left out how to do this.

I'm trying to make a web form and once I've filled this web form out, and pressed the submit button, an email would be sent to my email client. Ok, I understand that I need a mail server to do this but what do I need to do this and how do I configure my computer to do this?

I'm running WinXP, wampserver (this includes apache and mysql ... if this is helpful..dunno) so I have turned off IIS web server. I know that IIS has a SMTP server but I don't know if I can use this (because I've turned of the IIS web server). Does this mean I need to install an external mail server?

If anyone could help, I would be very grateful. So far I have more questions than answers....

first of all do you need the form to be secure or unsercure and do you have an option to use cgi-bin ? A form would be here is an example of a form this form is an uinsecure form so any details send can be read. there is another way of encrypiting the forms but here is one to get your form working first

<FORM name="form" method="post" action="mailto:you@yourprovider.com?subject=Message"
enctype="text/plain">
<INPUT type=hidden name="Message">

<FONT FACE="VERDANA, ARIAL"><B>Name:</B></FONT><P>
<INPUT type="text" size=25 name="name" onChange="msg()">

<P>
<FONT FACE="VERDANA, ARIAL"><B>Phone:</B><P>
<INPUT type="text" size=25 name="phone" onChange="msg()">

<P>
<FONT FACE="VERDANA, ARIAL"><B>Email:</B></FONT><P>
<INPUT type="text" size=25 name="email" onChange="msg()">

<P>
<FONT FACE="VERDANA, ARIAL"><B>Subject:</B></FONT><P>
<INPUT type="text" size=25 name="subject" onChange="msg()">

<P>
<FONT FACE="VERDANA, ARIAL"><B>Message:</B></FONT><P>
<TEXTAREA rows=5 cols=45 wrap="auto" name=message onChange="msg()"></TEXTAREA>

<P>
<CENTER>
<INPUT type=submit value="Send Message" onClick="msg()">
</CENTER>
</FORM>

The code provided by peterjwfrench will work, with the added bonus that since you do not yet know anything about mail servers, you will not be inadvertently opening a spam relay (which can cause you to lose your account).

Besides, there is no need whatsoever to set up a mail server just to create dynamic websites, anymore than I need to wear sunglasses and driving gloves to take my car to the market.