If we were in San Francisco and had an unlimited budget, I could discuss options such as wireless handheld devices. But in Yuma, where we can't even get digital cell phone service, this isn't really an option.

Still, there are times when we are away from our main computer but still want to keep in touch with our e-mail correspondents.

The most common occurance is when your e-mail is at the office and you would like to be able to access it at home. Assuming you have a second computer with an Internet connection at your home, or any other location, this can be done very easily.

The major problem is that if you check your messages at home, any mail you receive is removed from the e-mail server and only stored on the home computer. You could just forward the message back to yourself and not check your mail until you get back to the office, but that changes the subject and makes you the sender, which can be inconvenient the next time you access it.

A better way is to find the "leave a copy of the message on server" feature in your e-mail program. Just as it sounds, this leaves a copy of the message on the server any time you check mail from the home computer. Then, back at the office, the messages download to your main computer and get deleted off the server just as before.

Another common need for alternative e-mail solutions is during business trips or vacations. This time of year, many of my clients are getting out of town and realizing just how dependent they are on checking e-mail.

In these circumstances, a Web-based e-mail client works best. This eliminates the need for an e-mail program such as Netscape Email or Microsoft's Outlook Express. And, because you don't need to configure the e-mail program, you can access your mail through any computer that is connected to the Internet. You simply go to a specific Web address and type in your username and password to gain access to all your e-mail features.

Libraries and Internet cafes are great places to access your e-mail when you are on the road or at your final destination.

If you don't have a high-end e-mail server solution that allows you to access your normal e-mail through a Web-based interface, you can always sign up for a free Web-based mail account. These are abundant but Yahoo! Mail (http://mail.yahoo.com) and HotMail (http://www.hotmail.com) are both reliable professional services.

Once you have the free account set up, you need to forward your existing account to your Web-based account. Your local Internet service provider (ISP) should be able to do this for you.

Or, if you are Web savvy enough, on most unix based systems you can log in to the root directory of your ISP account and add a .forward text file that has one simple line: you@yournewisp.com where you@yournewisp.com is your new, Web-based e-mail account. This simple file will forward any mail that comes to your main account into the Web-based account.

Be careful with this option, because you don't want the people you e-mail to start replying to this temporary account. It is best to notify the people you send messages to that it is a temporary account, and, if possible, set up a reply-to address that will go back to your main account.

So, the next time you leave town, or just want to keep in touch when you are away from the office, get set up for remote mail.