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Among
the most popular features of the Internet today is electronic
mail, or e-mail. Like its postal equivalent, e-mail consists
of messages relayed with sender addresses and recipient
addresses. Unlike postal mail, however, electronic mail
is delivered around the world in a matter of seconds and
is used to reach a large number of recipients with little
cost or difficulty.
It is helpful to understand
some of the technical terminology involved with the
transmission of e-mail messages from computer to computer
across the Internet. When computers transfer e-mail
to each other across a computer network, they communicate
with a special protocol, or a prearranged pattern of
communication, to "speak" to each other so
that mutual comprehension occurs.
This chapter includes
information about the following:
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