From NED(_at_)SIGURD(_dot_)INNOSOFT(_dot_)COM Thu Mar 4 10:14:23 1993
As I have said before, you have not convinced me that serial/parallel
information is purely presentational in nature. It is going to be tough to do
this since I have yet to encounter a single operational case where this
information could in fact be handled in a purely presentational way.
Again, I'm not addressing how your gateways contrue multipart subtypes, but
just what RFC 1341 says:
7.2.2 The Multipart/mixed (primary) subtype
The primary subtype for multipart, "mixed", is intended for use when the body
parts are independent and intended to be displayed serially. Any multipart
subtypes that an implementation does not recognize must be treated as being of
subtype "mixed".
7.2.5 The Multipart/parallel subtype
This document defines a "parallel" subtype of the multipart
Content-Type. This type is syntactically identical to
multipart/mixed, but the semantics are different. In particular, in a
parallel entity, all of the parts are intended to be presented in
parallel, i.e., simultaneously, on hardward and software that are
capable of doing so. Composing agents should be aware that many mail
readers will lack this capability and will show the parts serially in
any event.
I've quoted these sub-sub-sections IN THEIR ENTIRETY. There is nothing
there besides presentation commitments like "displayed serially" and
"presented in parallel".
Jay