Email setup question.

So I was on craigslist and I tired to respond to an ad via email. Now, on my windows it would just bring the new email section up, you type the email and click send and your done. But, on my imac I went to respond it came up and said you will be guided through the necessary steps to setup your email account. Then it says at the top account type and there are mac, pop, imap, and exchange types. Now I have no idea of what to put that as. Which do I need to setup my email? Just for reference my emails that I use are hotmail and aol.

-Dan

You need to find out what type of accounts your Hotmail and AOL accounts are. POP or IMAP?

That's because the first time you use Mail you have to set it up. It isn't an e-mail provider like hotmail or gmail. It's a way to use hotmail or gmail (even more than one address and provider) without going to a web page. All within an easy-to-use app.
I haven't used AOL with Mail, but for hotmail, it's POP. The incoming mail server should be pop3.live.com.

For your Hotmail account use these settings,

Type: POP
Server Name: pop3.live.com
User Name: Your FULL email address
Port: 995
Use secure connection: SSL
Use secure authentication: leave unchecked

If you want to use their SMTP server use the settings below
Server Name: smtp.live.com
Port: 25 or Port 587 if 25 doesn't work
Use name and password: Check it
Username: Your FULL email address
Use secure connection: TLS

For AOL have a look here. That's an IMAP account btw

Apple mail should guide you through the set up so you need to put these settings in as required.

I haven't actually set up a hotmail or AOL account but apparently these are the settings.

Let us know if it works!