I'm cross-posting this to two mailing lists, the relatively-dormant
ietf-ack list, and the ietf-822 list for MIME discussions, because the
main point of this message is that I think the time has come to consider
merging the directions of these two efforts.
The ietf-ack group has been discussing mechanisms for return-receipt
mail on the Internet. I think that this can all be done very nicely
within the MIME framework, and I was wondering how other people felt
about it. Basically, I would propose two new MIME types,
"application/ack-request" and "application/ack". With suitable
parameters, these could be used to designate where the requested ack
should be sent, to have the ack reference the specific ack-request, and
to indicate the type of acknowledgements desired & generated. For
example, a mail reader might find a MIME entity with a header such as
Content-type: application/ack-request; id=12345; type-wanted=any
and could then respond (perhaps under user control) with a MIME entity
labeled as
Content-type: application/ack; id=12345; type=seen-by-human;
recipient="nsb(_at_)thumper(_dot_)bellcore(_dot_)com"
Obviously some work would be required to flesh out the various
parameters, but I think this could all be done within the MIME framework
very nicely. Is anyone else interested in this approach? -- Nathaniel
PS -- this is intended as a proposal for a followup MIME type to be
published & registered with IANA, not as a proposed addition to the
basic MIME document, which I consider to be essentially "set in stone"
at this point.
PPS -- if there's anyone reading this on the ietf-ack list who is
unfamiliar with MIME, which the Internet Activities Board is now
considering as a Proposed Standard format for extended mail on the
Internet, please let me know and I'll send you some information that
will give you the missing context. -- NB