MIME (Multipart Internet Mail Extensions) is an Internet mail standard which defines the mechanisms which enable the sender of an email message to include message components in a format other than simple ASCII text (text/plain, in MIME parlance). For all the dirty details, see RFC 1341 <http://www.ietf.org/rfc/rfc1341.txt>. It is not necessary to explicitly attach a file to a message in order to create a message that includes MIME headers. Most GUI email clients are configured, by default, to send messages in both text/plain and text/html format. The user of a GUI email client might send a message which includes fancy fonts, cutesy colors, and even a bilious background. This will result in a multipart message that includes both a text/plain version of the message and a text/html version of the message, seperated by MIME headers. Recipients using text-only email clients will see the entire message, including the MIME headers and the HTML, but will find the text/plain version of the message near the top, immediately following the message headers. Recipients using HTML-capable email clients will not see the text/plain version of the message, or the MIME headers, but they will see the message in all its gaudy glory. Some people use text-only email clients, either by choice or because they have no choice, some people pay for Internet access by the minute or the byte or both, and some mail servers have limited storage capacity. In my not so humble opinion, it is both arrogant and rude to send anything other than text/plain email, unless you are absolutely certain that doing so will not result in any inconvenience or needless cost for any of the recipients of the message. -- Paul Russell Senior System Administrator University of Notre Dame On Tue, 14 May 2002 11:47:25 -0500, Russ Hicks <[log in to unmask]> wrote: > >After much delay and confusion I read a post from Ben Parker on 4/19 >(BEFORE my problem) which said in part... > >>there is a long known issue of banners seeming to disappear when MIME messages >>are sent. Due to the technical nature if how MIME messages are formed the >>banners are added outside of the MIME boundary areas and thus cannot be seen >>in most mail clients. This problem has been corrected in the forthcoming 1.8e >>release of LISTSERV. In fact, separate banners can be defined for plain-text >>and HTML messages. > >That adds even more mud to the waters. Say what? MIME messages? Am I >supposed to understand what a MIME message is? And what to do when I get >(or send) one? I'm a newbie to this kind of stuff. Is that an answer to a >different problem than I have? Help! >