compact all folders

It looks to me like mail and newsgroup message are stored in individual files (one file per message item). If so, what does File | Folder | Compact or Compact All Folders do? Is the use of discrete files temporary and to be replaced in the final by virtual folders just like in Outlook Express?

The individual message files are stored as you indicated, but there is also a database, which contains metadata on the messages as well as the download information (e.g. NG and POP3 indicators). So the database needs periodic compaction in order to maintain performance.
I think the terminology will change a bit.
steve
"Fuzzy John" wrote in message

It looks to me like mail and newsgroup message are stored in individual files (one file per message item). If so, what does File | Folder | Compact or Compact All Folders do? Is the use of discrete files temporary and to be replaced in the final by virtual folders just like in Outlook Express?