Often times when there's an email address on a website, it is not just plaintext, but a link (hyperlink?). However, instead of containing an address such as https://unix.stackexchange.com it contains mailto:[email protected] which - upon a click - opens a browser "page not found". This seems very useless, however a quick search on the Unix StackExchange suggested that the phrase MAILTO: has some function/meaning on Unix/Linux systems (and maybe on others). Many questions also refer to "cron". While I understand the primary function of "cron" jobs (automatic actions being done at certain times/periods) I have trouble to connect it with the mailto: hyperlinks.
So what is the function of these hyperlinks and is it in any way connected to "cron" jobs - if so, how is it supposed to work?