1 <?xml version="1.0" encoding="utf-8"?>
2 <appendix id="ap_glossary">
3 <title>Glossary</title>
6 <varlistentry id="gt_account">
12 An account represents an identity within Claws Mail. As such only
13 one email address is associated with each account. However, the number
14 of accounts you can setup is unlimited.
18 <varlistentry id="gt_action_rules">
20 Action (filtering/processing rules)
24 An action is something that is performed on a message when it matches
25 the rule conditions. A typical action is moving the message to a
26 particular folder. See also <xref linkend="gt_condition_rules" />.
30 <varlistentry id="gt_actions">
36 Actions are user-defined commands that can be applied to a message, or
37 part of a message, using a special syntax. They are presented to the
38 user in a customisable menu.
42 <varlistentry id="gt_addressbook">
48 Storage for names, mail addresses and custom user attributes. Also
49 provides access to <xref linkend="gt_ldap" /> servers and <xref
50 linkend="gt_vcard" /> files.
54 <varlistentry id="gt_ascii">
56 <acronym>ASCII</acronym>
60 American Standard Code for Information Interchange. A standard <xref
61 linkend="gt_character_encoding" /> using 7 bit. It's defined as an
62 Internet standard in <ulink url="http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc20.txt"
67 <varlistentry id="gt_attachment">
73 Additional file(s) included with a mail message. Some attachments can
74 be displayed by Claws Mail, others require external programs.
75 <xref linkend="gt_plugins" /> can provide additional functions for
96 <varlistentry id="gt_character_encoding">
102 A map between written symbols, like letters and other symbols, and the
103 numbers used to represent them inside the computer. The most well-known
104 character encoding is probably <xref linkend="gt_ascii" />, but it has
105 been superseded by others, such as <xref linkend="gt_utf8" />.
109 <varlistentry id="gt_compose">
115 Create new a message text or a reply to a received mail in the Compose
120 <varlistentry id="gt_condition_rules">
122 Condition (filtering/processing rules)
126 The prerequisites that a mail message must fulfil in order for the
127 rule's action to be executed. See also <xref
128 linkend="gt_action_rules" />.
136 <varlistentry id="gt_digital_signature">
138 Digital signature (<acronym>GPG</acronym>)
142 A piece of data obtained from merging a message and a cryptographic key
143 which ensures message authorship, in a similar way that a hand-written
144 signature does in a document. This piece of data is sent with the m
145 essage so the recipient can verify its validity.
153 <varlistentry id="gt_encryption">
159 Scrambling a message with a cryptographic key so that only the
160 recipient and ownwer of the key password can unscramble it for reading.
168 <varlistentry id="gt_face">
174 A more modern implementation of the <xref linkend="gt_xface" />, it's a
175 coloured image (48x48 pixels) included in the message headers.
179 <varlistentry id="gt_filtering_rule">
185 A <xref linkend="gt_rule" /> applied to incoming messages. Filtering
186 rules can be also applied manually to the contents of any folder.
190 <varlistentry id="gt_folder">
196 A folder is the primary message container. Folders can be local or
197 remote, but they are managed in a uniform way by Claws Mail.
201 <varlistentry id="gt_forward">
207 To send a copy of a received mail to another recipient, optionally
208 adding your own message.
228 <varlistentry id="gt_headers">
234 Machine readable lines which form the first part of a mail message. The
235 purpose of headers varies; Typical headers are From and To which state
236 the sender and recipient of the message, others are used by the mail
237 system. Some headers are optional and are used to provide additional
238 information, such as <xref linkend="gt_xface" /> or <xref
239 linkend="gt_face" />.
243 <varlistentry id="gt_html">
245 <acronym>HTML</acronym>
249 Acronym for Hyper-Text Markup Language. It was the standard language to
250 encode web pages in the beginning of the <xref linkend="gt_www" />.
251 Some mail clients use this language to encode the textual body of mails
252 in order to craft special effects to text at the cost of multiplying
253 the message size several times. HTML mail is also widely used by
254 spammers to send <xref linkend="gt_spam" />.
262 <varlistentry id="gt_imap">
264 <acronym>IMAP4</acronym>
268 Internet Messaging Access Protocol (version 4). A protocol for
269 accessing email on a remote server from a local client. All messages
270 are stored in the remote server.
274 <varlistentry id="gt_immediate_execution">
280 When the <quote>Execute immediately when moving or deleting
281 messages</quote> option is used, operations
282 performed on messages, (like deletions or movements), are performed
283 immediately. If the option is turned off, all operations performed on
284 messages by the user are only carried out when the
285 <quote>Execute</quote> button is pressed.
289 <varlistentry id="gt_isp">
291 <acronym>ISP</acronym>
295 Internet Service Provider. A company which provides Internet access to
296 its customers. In the dialup access age these were the big telephony
297 companies, with the arrival of broadband access the number of companies
298 and types of services offered has grown exponentially.
330 <varlistentry id="gt_ldap">
332 <acronym>LDAP</acronym>
336 Lightweight Directory Access Protocol. A protocol for accessing
337 information directories such as organisations, individuals, phone
338 numbers, and addresses.
342 <varlistentry id="gt_ldif">
344 <acronym>LDIF</acronym>
348 LDAP Data Interchange Format. A text file format widely used for moving
349 data between <xref linkend="gt_ldap" /> servers and/or other programs.
353 <varlistentry id="gt_local_mbox_file">
359 A local mailbox spool file in <xref linkend="gt_mbox" /> format.
363 <varlistentry id="gt_log_window">
369 A special window which records protocol operations in detail that are
370 performed by Claws Mail. It's a useful tool for debugging.
378 <varlistentry id="gt_mailbox">
384 The root folder of the folder hierarchy.
388 <varlistentry id="gt_maildir">
394 A mailbox format in which all mail is kept in separate files.
395 Maildir++ is an extension to the maildir format.
399 <varlistentry id="gt_mailinglist">
405 Electronic mailing-lists are a special usage of email that allows for
406 widespread distribution of information to many Internet users. They
407 often take the form of discussion lists, like the Claws Mail users'
408 list, where a subscriber uses the mailing-list to send messages to all
409 the other subscribers, who may answer in similar fashion.
413 <varlistentry id="gt_mark_message">
419 A tag that can be set on a message by the user in order to draw
420 attention to the message. Marks are shown in the Mark column of the
425 <varlistentry id="gt_mbox">
431 A mailbox format in which all mail is concatenated and stored in a
432 single file. The mbox format supported by Claws Mail is
433 <literal>mboxrd</literal>.
437 <varlistentry id="gt_message">
443 A message is the basic piece of information handled by Claws Mail.
444 A message is usually an email message, which is stored in <xref
445 linkend="gt_mh" /> format on disk. Other kinds of messages (and storage
446 formats) can be handled through <xref linkend="gt_plugins" />.
450 <varlistentry id="gt_mh">
456 A mailbox format in which all mail is kept in separate files. This is
457 the default mailbox format used by Claws Mail.
461 <varlistentry id="gt_mime">
463 <acronym>MIME</acronym>
467 Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. Internet standards for
468 representing binary data in <xref linkend="gt_ascii" /> text format,
469 <xref linkend="gt_headers" /> encoding and <xref
470 linkend="gt_attachment" />s.
478 <varlistentry id="gt_nntp">
480 <acronym>NNTP</acronym>
484 Network News Transfer Protocol. The protocol used to post, distribute,
485 and retrieve <xref linkend="gt_usenet" /> messages, also called news
486 articles or simply news for short.
490 <varlistentry id="gt_newsgroups">
496 A set of hierarchical partitions of <xref linkend="gt_usenet" />
497 messages on a <xref linkend="gt_news_server" />. The <xref
498 linkend="gt_nntp" /> protocol allows the user to subscribe to one or
499 more newsgroups. New messages posted to the subscribed groups are
500 automatically downloaded on connection.
504 <varlistentry id="gt_news_server">
510 Server which provides access to <xref linkend="gt_usenet" /> messages
511 in <xref linkend="gt_newsgroups" /> through the <xref linkend="gt_nntp"
532 <varlistentry id="gt_pgp_inline">
534 <acronym>PGP</acronym> Inline
538 Digital signing method which includes the signature data in the message
539 body. Currently deprecated in favour of <xref linkend="gt_pgp_mime" />.
543 <varlistentry id="gt_pgp_mime">
545 <acronym>PGP</acronym> <acronym>MIME</acronym>
549 Digital signing method which includes the signature data as a separate
550 <xref linkend="gt_mime" /> <xref linkend="gt_attachment" />.
554 <varlistentry id="gt_plugins">
560 External modules which can be loaded and used by Claws Mail to
561 extend its functionality. Technically speaking these modules are
562 shared libraries which can register one or several functions to be
563 called by Claws Mail when something
564 <emphasis>interesting</emphasis> is being done.
568 <varlistentry id="gt_pop3">
570 <acronym>POP3</acronym>
574 Post Office Protocol (version 3). A protocol for retrieving email from
575 a remote server. Messages can be automatically removed from server
580 <varlistentry id="gt_privacy_gpg">
582 Privacy (<acronym>GPG</acronym>)
586 Privacy provides methods for both signing and encrypting mail messages
587 you send and also for verifying and decrypting signed and encrypted
588 messages that you receive.
592 <varlistentry id="gt_processing_rule">
598 A <xref linkend="gt_rule" /> or set of rules belonging to a folder
599 which are executed on entering the folder.
607 <varlistentry id="gt_queue">
613 Temporary storage for messages which are waiting to be sent, either
614 because they couldn't be sent due a network failure or because the
615 user requested them to be sent later.
619 <varlistentry id="gt_quick_search">
625 A powerful way to search for messages using almost any criteria that
630 <varlistentry id="gt_quotation">
636 When replying to a message the user will often include a quoted section
637 of that message to provide the context. The quoted section is shown by
638 the prepending of a common character, usually <quote>></quote>.
646 <varlistentry id="gt_recursive_quick_search">
648 Recursive (Quick Search)
652 A recursive <xref linkend="gt_quick_search" /> will also search in all
653 subfolders of the selected folder.
657 <varlistentry id="gt_redirect">
663 To send a copy of a received mail in its original form to another
668 <varlistentry id="gt_reply">
674 Answer to a received message. As verb also the act of answering a
679 <varlistentry id="gt_rot13">
685 Simple <emphasis>encryption</emphasis> method used since Romans age,
686 which uses an alphabet rotated thirteen positions to encode each
687 letter of the message. Used sometimes to hide funny messages on mails.
691 <varlistentry id="gt_rule">
697 Logical structure comprised of one or more conditions (see <xref
698 linkend="gt_condition_rules" />) and one or more associated actions
699 (see <xref linkend="gt_action_rules" />). Rules are used for filtering
708 <varlistentry id="gt_smtp">
710 <acronym>SMTP</acronym>
714 Simple Mail Transfer Protocol. A protocol for sending email to servers.
718 <varlistentry id="gt_smtp_server">
720 <acronym>SMTP</acronym> server
724 A server which receives mail messages from other hosts and/or sends
725 mail messages to other hosts using the <xref linkend="gt_smtp" />
730 <varlistentry id="gt_source_message">
736 The full text of a message as it is transmitted over the network. This
737 includes all headers, message body and encoded attachments if present.
741 <varlistentry id="gt_spam">
747 Junk mail, unsolicited commercial emails.
751 <varlistentry id="gt_spell_checking">
757 Automatic verification of spelling while typing or after composition
762 <varlistentry id="gt_ssl">
764 <acronym>SSL</acronym>
768 Secure Sockets Layer. A protocol used to encrypt and protect data sent
773 <varlistentry id="gt_ssl_certificate">
775 <acronym>SSL</acronym> certificate
779 A certificate installed on a secure server that is used for
784 <varlistentry id="gt_starttls">
790 STARTTLS (Start Transport Layer Security) is a command used to initiate
791 a secure connection between two servers using <xref linkend="gt_ssl" />.
795 <varlistentry id="gt_sticky_quick_search">
797 Sticky (Quick Search)
801 When the sticky option is set on <xref linkend="gt_quick_search" /> the
802 search terms are not cleared when changing folders.
806 <varlistentry id="gt_synchronisation">
808 Synchronisation (folder)
812 Making the contents of a local folder mirror those of an equivalent
813 remote folder in the associated mail server.
821 <varlistentry id="gt_tcp">
823 <acronym>TCP</acronym>
827 Transmission Control Protocol. The main protocol used in the Internet.
828 Allows media-independent reliable connections between two endpoints
829 and is supported by all modern Operating Systems in use.
833 <varlistentry id="gt_themes">
839 Image sets for changing the appearance of buttons, folders and other
840 graphical elements of Claws Mail.
844 <varlistentry id="gt_thread">
850 A set of messages loosely relating to each other.
854 <varlistentry id="gt_toolbars">
860 Sets of buttons arranged horizontally which provide access to all
861 commonly used functions. Toolbars in Claws Mail can be customised.
869 <varlistentry id="gt_uidl">
871 <acronym>UIDL</acronym>
875 Unique IDentification Listing. A <xref linkend="gt_pop3" /> command
876 which allows single message handling by asigning a unique identifier
881 <varlistentry id="gt_url">
887 Uniform Resource Locator. A naming scheme for objects (usually files)
888 in a multi-protocol networked environment like current Internet.
889 For example, this is the one of the Claws Mail home page:
890 <literal>http://www.claws-mail.org</literal>.
894 <varlistentry id="gt_usenet">
900 User's Network. A bulletin board system of discussion groups, often
901 called <xref linkend="gt_newsgroups" />.
905 <varlistentry id="gt_utf8">
907 <acronym>UTF-8</acronym>
911 8-bit Unicode Transformation Format. A variable length character
912 encoding capable of representing any universal character. An Internet
913 standard defined in <ulink url="http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc3629.txt"
922 <varlistentry id="gt_vcard">
928 File format standard for Personal Data Interchange, it can hold
929 information such as address, phone numbers, etc., much like the
930 information usually found in a business card. They are commonly found
931 attached to mail messages.
939 <varlistentry id="gt_wrapping">
945 Restructuring of the message text based on a user-defined maximum
946 number of characters per line. Wrapping ensures that paragraphs are
947 justified, which means that they are aligned to the left and right
952 <varlistentry id="gt_www">
954 <acronym>WWW</acronym>
958 World Wide Web, the hyperlinked network of web pages accross the
967 <varlistentry id="gt_xface">
973 Specially coded black and white image (48x48 pixels) included in the
974 message headers. Capable mailers like Claws Mail and others can
975 decode and show it alongside the message text. Although they are not
976 unique, they can help to quickly identify the message sender. See also
977 <xref linkend="gt_face" />.