The vocabulary, in ten words

Ten words, and the rest follows

Every tool has its jargon. This one's is short, and most of the words are already familiar. Let us set them down once and for all.

The mail

Inbox: where what people send you arrives. Draft: a message begun and not yet sent. Conversation: a message and all its replies, grouped into a single thread, like a text exchange. Copy (Cc): the people you keep informed without asking them to reply. Blind copy (Bcc): the same, except the other recipients cannot see them.

The filing

Folder: a drawer where you file your messages, like a binder. Tag: a colour with a name, stuck onto a message; one message can carry several, whereas it sits in only one folder. Filter: a rule that files incoming mail on its own, for instance "everything from the bank goes into the Bank folder".

The sharing

Share: granting a colleague the right to see, or to change, one of your folders, a calendar or an address book. Delegation: allowing someone to write on your behalf, which is not the same as giving them your password, which is never given to anyone.