-=> Quoting Graham Cotterell to All <=-

 GC> I think a statment like `roger{at}tgw.apana.org.au' is an address to send
 GC> something to a an certain person..

Similar to a Fidonet address, but it is text and in reverse.

'roger' is the user name. 
'tgw.apana.org.au' is the domain. It can be split up onto parts, starting at
the end.
'.au' means Australia. Similarly '.uk' for United Kigdom etc. USA has none
as it is the country that started Internet and they are such hot shots they
don't need them.
'.org' is the type of system. This only applys to the next part '.apana'.
'.org' is Organisation, '.com' is commercial site, '.edu' for educational etc.
'.apana' is the site name. In Fidonet terms, this would be like a BBS
'tgw' is the site the user is connected to. In Fidonet terms, it's sort of
like a point system


For a message to be delivered, the sender sees the '.au' and first sends it
to Australia. Then once here, the system it is on (probably Teltras, they
have the main link to the rest of the world) it will see '.apana.org' and send
the message to APANA. Once APANA gets it, it sees 'tgw' and sends it along to
that system. The system sees the 'roger' part and sticks it in his mail box.

It looks complicated, but it's really just a chain. One system gives it to
another until it gets to where it's going. TGW is most likely to be a UUCP
site, which means it only has mail, no Slip/PPP etc connections.

Regards,
 - SoNiC

 FIDOnet: 3:712/848           Internet: sonic{at}elec.apana.org.au
 HACKnet: 7:602/2

... ARRRRRGGGHHH!!!! ... Tension breaker, had to be done.
--- FMailX 1.02