Uuencode

Uuencode, often referred to as Uuencode/Uudecode, is a widely used application designed for encoding and decoding files exchanged between network users. It was first intended to be used for UNIX operating systems. At the time it was called UNIX-to-UNIX encoding. Uuencode is now easily obtainable and available for all systems. It is also provided by most email clients as it provides an efficient means for encoding messages and email attachments. Uuencode is helpful in the emailing system when the recipient of a message is not equipped with a MIME-compliant system. The primary function of Uuenode is to convert or translate a file or email attachment from it’s bit-stream or binary representation into a 7-bit ASCII text string. This enables the text to be handled by older operating systems that may not have the ability to properly handle binary files. WinZip is a popular application used for encoding and decoding files in Uuencode format.