On Sun, 8 Sep 1996, Automatic digest processor wrote:
 
> Date:    Sat, 7 Sep 1996 17:11:12 -0400
> From:    Joan Korenman <[log in to unmask]>
> Subject: Microsoft Mail encoded garbage
>
>         Hi.  Does anyone know how to disable the "feature" on Microsoft Mail
> that causes it to attach base-64 encoded garbage at the end of every mail
> message?  I think the encoding is just a version of the message that appears
> normally in the first part, but 1) the encoding creates a lot of confusion
> among my list's subscribers, who then write to me to ask what all this stuff
> is, and 2) for some subscribers, apparently, the encoded part puts itself on
> their harddrive as a separate attachment.  I don't understand that, but I
> do know that I do NOT want people sending ANY kind of encoded message to my
> list.  It just creates too much confusion and thus too much work.  So....
> does anyone know how to disable the feature?  If so, could you explain it
> in very simple terms so that I can pass along the instructions to utter
> novices?  And while I'm asking, does anyone know WHY Microsoft Mail spews
> forth all this encoded garbage?  If the "feature" can't be disabled easily,
> are there alternatives?
>
>         I should add that I tried to find some discussion of this in the
> LSTOWN-L archives for 1996, but I didn't find anything.  And at this point
> I'd really appreciate a simple answer rather than a reference to a ton of
> techie talk.
 
For full instructions see
 
http://www.halcyon.com/goetter/exclifaq.htm#suppressrtf
 
In brief, turn off RTF several places in the address book.  RTF (Rich
Text Format) in a address is what tells Mail to include the binary data
needed to recreate formmatting (font, size, bold, etc) that writer saw
when composing the message.
 
Barry Wolman
Pittsburgh, PA