title: In conda, what is the differece between "base" environment and no environment at all?
body: <p>The title says it. I installed conda and now all my terminals open in the base environment, "(base)" at the start of my prompts.  If I type "conda deactivate" it drops out of base to someplace else, like no environment.  How is this different from base?</p>
  
  <p>(This question is a tangent from my other, asking if the expected workflow is for me to stay in base: <a href="https://stackoverflow.com/questions/55133808/with-conda-anaconda-should-i-work-in-base-all-the-time">With conda/anaconda should I work in (base) all the time?</a>)</p>