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From dimacs.rutgers.edu!owner-ietf-822 Tue Mar 2 11:01:32 PST 1993 remote
from att
Date: Tue, 2 Mar 1993 11:01:32 PST
From: Bill Janssen <janssen(_at_)parc(_dot_)xerox(_dot_)com>
Subject: Re: file attachments in MIME
...
This is why adding another subtype of multipart seems like a win -- you
are putting the the situational information about use at the right level
of the message ``document''.
I'd imagine the wording of the section describing
``multipart/attachments'' would be something like this:
7.2.4 The Multipart/attachments subtype
The multipart/attachments type is used when only one part of a
multipart message (called here the _primary_ part) is intended to be
displayed, the other parts acting as documents ``attached'' to that
primary part. User agents should only display the attachments in
some short form (.i.e., with a name or icon), but should display the
primary part in full. The primary part is specified to be the
*last* part of the multipart/attachments.
Bill
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In particular,
< The primary part is specified to be the *last* part of the
< multipart/attachments.
I disagree very strongly with the *last*. It really ought to be *first*. A
good analogy is a business letter. You start out with the cover letter on
top, and then attached to the letter (using a paper clip or staple) and
always after the cover letter, you find the attachments. So too with email
attachments: first the cover letter, and THEN the attachments.
Another good analogy is that of appendices to a book. First you have the
book, then all of the appendices referred to during the main text of the
book. You NEVER have the appendices first.
I'll not argue here whether it should be done using a new
multipart/attachments subtype, or using a separate header, or using a
parameter on the existing multipart/mixed header.
Tony Hansen
hansen(_at_)pegasus(_dot_)att(_dot_)com,
tony(_at_)attmail(_dot_)com
att!pegasus!hansen, attmail!tony