Glossary

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AppleDouble: A method of encoding files so they can be transferred over the Internet. This encoding method preserves both the data and resource information in a Macintosh file.
ASCII: Abbreviation for American Standard Code for Information Interchange, a code that represents letters, numerals, punctuation marks, control characters, and symbols, and makes it possible to transfer information from one computer to another.
attachment: A file included with an e-mail message.
authentication: The process of verifying the identity of someone, usually by comparing the user name and password the person enters to those in an authorized list.

Base64: See Mime/Base64.
Bcc: Abbreviation for blind carbon copy or blind courtesy copy, a way to send a copy of an e-mail message to a recipient without the recipient's name or address appearing in the message header.
Binary file: A file consisting of characters that describe an image, document, or application. Binary files are read by computers rather than by people.
BinHex: A method for converting binary data files to ASCII text files so they can be transmitted over the Internet or across a network without losing data. This encoding method preserves both the data and resource information in a Macintosh file.
browser: See Web browser.

Cc: Abbreviation for carbon copy or courtesy copy, a way to send a copy of an e-mail message to a recipient so that the recipient's name or address appears in the message header.
character set: A group of alphabetic, numeric, and other characters needed to display text in a specific language.
compression: The process of reducing the size of a file by changing its format so that it requires less storage space or takes less time to transfer.
comma-delimited file: A text-only file that contains pieces of information separated by commas.

decompression: The process of restoring a compressed file to its original size and format.
directory service: A service on the Internet or on another network that helps you find e-mail addresses.
DOS extension: See file name extension.
download: To copy a file from the Internet, a network server, or a file server to a computer.

e-mail: Abbreviation for electronic mail, a way to send text messages and attachments over the Internet or another network.
e-mail address: The address of your electronic mailbox, or the mailbox where you receive e-mail messages. An e-mail address typically includes your name, followed by the @ sign and then your domain name � for example, �someone@microsoft.com�
encode: To convert data into a different format, usually for the purpose of transferring it easily.
encryption: The process of encoding data to prevent unauthorized access, especially during transmission over the Internet or another network.

file name extension: The characters that follow a period in a file name and indicate the file�s format or type. For example, the file Image.gif uses the .gif file name extension, which indicates that the file is a GIF image.
firewall: A security system that prevents computers on a network from communicating directly with computers on another network. Instead, all communication is routed through a proxy server, which determines whether a particular message or file may pass to or from the network.

group: A list of e-mail addresses that you create in Microsoft Outlook Express for the purpose of sending one message to the entire list, instead of addressing identical messages individually to the people on the list.

HTML: Abbreviation for Hypertext Markup Language, a language used for creating documents for the World Wide Web. HTML uses special code that tells Web browsers how to display elements such as text and images in a document.
HTML message: An e-mail message format that uses formatted text by supporting HTML formatting tags.
Hyperlink: See link.

IMAP: Abbreviation for Internet Message Access Protocol, a protocol for retrieving e-mail messages from one or more servers.
Internet: The worldwide network of millions of connected computers. The Internet contains many types of information, including HTML documents, e-mail messages, newsgroup messages, and applications.
Internet header: The part of an e-mail or news message that contains details about the message, such as a list of computers the message went through on its way to you. An Internet header might also include special instructions on how an e-mail program should handle the message.
ISP: Abbreviation for Internet service provider, a company that provides connections to the Internet.

junk mail: Unwanted e-mail messages, such as unsolicited advertisements.

LDAP: Abbreviation for Lightweight Directory Access Protocol, a protocol for accessing directory services.
link: Special text, usually underlined, that enables you to jump to another document.
local folder: A folder that's located on your hard disk.

MacBinary: A method of encoding and decoding Macintosh files so they can travel over networks without losing information.
mail: See e-mail.
mailing list: A list of people who have joined a group for the purpose of exchanging e-mail messages about a topic of interest. When you send a message to the e-mail address for the mailing list, all the members of the group receive and can respond to the message.
message header: The part of a mail or news that appears in the Message list and at the top of an open message. The message header lists the sender, the recipients, priority level and other information about the message.
MIME: Abbreviation for Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions, a TCP/IP protocol for transferring various file formats over the Internet in e-mail messages.
MIME/Base64: A method of encoding non-text files into text so they can be transferred over the Internet in an e-mail message. This encoding method does not encode the resource information in a Macintosh file.

newsgroup: A collection of themed messages posted to a news server. You can find newsgroups on practically any subject. Anyone who can access a newsgroup can read the messages it contains and post new messages.
NNTP: Abbreviation for Network News Transfer Protocol, a protocol used to send and receive news messages over the Internet.

offline: Not connected to the Internet or to another network.
online: Connected to the Internet or to another network.
online folder: See server folder.

plain text message: An e-mail message format that does not use formatting, such as bold text.
POP: Abbreviation for Post Office Protocol, a protocol for receiving e-mail messages from a server.
port: A channel for transferring data between an input and output device, such as a modem and a server.
PPP: Abbreviation for Point-to-Point Protocol, a protocol for connecting a computer to the Internet.
protocol: A set of rules and standards that enables computers to exchange information.
proxy server: A computer that acts as a gateway between a network protected by a firewall and other networks.

rule: A set of conditions and actions that tell Microsoft Outlook Express how to process and organize messages.

server folder: Folders located on a server on the Internet.
SMTP: Abbreviation for Simple Mail Transfer Protocol, a TCP/IP protocol for sending e-mail messages from a computer to a server and from one server to another.
SSL: Abbreviation for Secure Sockets Layer, a protocol for securely transmitting private information, such as credit card numbers, over the Internet.

tab-delimited file: A text-only file that contains pieces of information separated by tab characters.
TCP/IP: Abbreviation for Transmission Control Protocol/Internet Protocol, a set of protocols used for transferring data between computers.

upload: To copy a file from a computer to the Internet, a network server, or a file server.
UUEncode: Abbreviation for UNIX-to-UNIX encoding, a method of encoding non-text files so they can be transferred over the Internet in an e-mail message. Although this encoding method can encode files created on any platform, it does not encode the resource information in a Macintosh file.

Web: See World Wide Web.
Web browser: An application, such as Microsoft Internet Explorer, that enables you to view Web pages on the World Wide Web, on another network, or on your computer. A browser also enables you to jump from one Web page to another by following links and to download files from the Internet to your computer.
World Wide Web: The graphical, multimedia portion of the Internet. The most common files on the World Wide Web (WWW) are HTML documents, which are also known as Web pages.