For email, you usually run in to MIME encoding. MIME encoding merely requires an email client that accepts MIME encoding on the receiving end in order to decode it. Most, if not all, email clients support MIME. Think of it like sending "morse code" with or without having someone to decipher the message. Generally speaking, encoding is used to take advantage of advanced features not available with simple "ASCII" text (like background sounds and pictures).
2. ASCII text is a standard that's been around for many years (Plain Text).
It stands for "American Standard Code for Information Exchange:. It is a coding scheme using 7 or 8 bits that assigns numeric values to up to 256 characters, including letters, numerals, punctuation marks, control characters, and other symbols. If you construct an email with standard characters without adding fonts or other bells and whistles, you're probably within the ASCII standard and your emails can be read by all computer types today. No special software required. But, most modern email clients will encode it using MIME anyway since it's widely supported.
Jean
-----Original Message----- From: adhesions@adhesions.org [mailto:adhesions@adhesions.org] On Behalf Of Helen Dynda Sent: Monday, September 10, 2001 2:27 PM To: Multiple recipients of list ADHESIONS Subject: Jean -- What are *encoded documents*...and what is *Ascii* text?....
Guidelines for Adhesions - says:
3.) Do not send encoded documents to the list. Ascii text only, please.
What are *encoded documents*?
What is Ascii text?