Hi Yall,

I'm sure this matter has been argued in the past before but....

I've been giving it much thought lately. To me the problem can be stated as this: Someone sends me an email telling me its an one thing when really they are sending me something that is different.

Now thinking to how Microsoft (no, this is not bashing, but this example did help bring me to my conclusion) would take a document that said it was a jpg, pass it through all of the security then figure out that it's a executible (because of the extension) and run it. Yes, I know that was web stuff and this is email, but the priciple was the same.

Now I see yall saying someone sent a document and called it a 7 bit text. In analyzing the the data 8 bit data was found. Why are we analyzing the data? The mail server should just be passing it on through, no? Treat it as 7 bit text like the mime headers describe it. I mean if the mime headers said it was a jpg picture and it really was 7 bit text would you chuck it out or just pass it and let the email client show an malformed picture?

In other words, treat it as the mime headers state it is. That is why they are there. If it gets garbled on the way, well... that happens. They really should state what it is accurately but it is obvious that that is not always the case. Why should the server care? It is not like it has to manipulate the message. At best if my understanding is clear, it should only be manipulating the envelope. No?

If microsoft would've treated the documents as they were described instead of trying to figure out what they were later, they would'nt have the problem they did. They would've displayed garbled pictures, not run executibles on unsuspecting visitors computers.

That is my 2 cents.

-joe

On Thursday 03 January 2002 05:04 pm, you wrote: