file extension MSG

File extension MSG description:

All e-mail programs are not alike, so you need to use a message format that your recipient's program supports. The message format you choose determines whether you can add formatted text, such as bold fonts, colored fonts, and bullets, and whether you can add pictures to the message body. However, just because you choose a message format that lets you add these features doesn't mean the recipient will be able to see them. That's because some e-mail programs don't support formatted messages or pictures. The following information will help you decide which format to use depending on the e-mail configuration you're using and the e-mail program of the person you're sending messages to.

Outlook offers three message formats:

• Plain text A message format that doesn't support text formatting, such as bold, italic, or colored fonts. It also doesn't support pictures displayed directly in the message body (although they can be included as attachments). All e-mail programs can display plain text messages accurately.
• HTML A message format that supports text formatting, numbering, bullets, alignment, horizontal lines, pictures (including backgrounds), HTML styles, and Web pages. You can also use stationery and signatures with this format. All Web pages use HTML, as do most popular e-mail programs, including Outlook 98, Outlook Express 4.0, Eudora 4.0, and Netscape Messenger 4.0. To date, the America Online e-mail system does not.
• Rich Text Format (RTF) A Microsoft format that supports text formatting, bullets, and alignment. You can also use signatures with Outlook Rich Text. (If you're using Microsoft Word as your e-mail editor, you must create the signature in Word.) Outlook Rich Text can be read only by Microsoft Exchange Client versions 4.0 and 5.0, Outlook 97, Outlook 98, and Outlook 2000. (Outlook Express cannot read RTF). In addition to messages, Outlook meeting requests and task requests are sent in RTF format, too.