[Gimp-user] Transparency question.... Can I make the page background show display behind the image?

[Ken Springer <snowshed1 q com>]

While I still try, unsuccessfully, to get Gimp to run on my Mac...

I'm not a graphic artist, but I do have a task I would like to 
accomplish, so a couple of quick questions?

It's been over 10 years since I experimented with graphics software of 
any kind other than resize and/or convert from one format to another.

Scenario to illustrate my question:

I create a new graphic, of X by Y proportions.  Create a black circle in 
the center of the graphic.  Save graphic.

When I import the graphic into a document, web page, email composition 
window, etc., I would like only the black circle to display when the 
background is a color other than white.  IOW, I want the unused/blank 
part of the graphic to be transparent.

How do I do this?

I've found the online manual to be confusing to follow, since I can't 
easily "thumb" through the pages to see a picture of the effect I want 
to accomplish, and I'm not sure of the correct terminology.

I found a PDF manual for 2.4, are there instructions that cover this? 
I'm not really interested in printing it, or having it printed.  If the 
manual were for 2.6, I would consider having it printed.

If one of the tutorials listed demonstrates this effect, which one? 
I've no clue based on the titles or descriptions of the tutorials.

That should be enough questions for now.


--

Ken