Path: utzoo!utgpu!news-server.csri.toronto.edu!rpi!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!swrinde!elroy.jpl.nasa.gov!news.arc.nasa.gov!ucsd!mvb.saic.com!ncr-sd!serene!rfarris
From: rfarris@rfengr.com (Rick Farris)
Newsgroups: comp.mail.misc
Subject: Re: Internet Draft on Multimedia, Multipart Mail
Keywords: IEF IETF RFC Mail RFC-822 Extension
Message-ID: <1991Jun24.081938.21007@rfengr.com>
Date: 24 Jun 91 08:19:38 GMT
References: <335@actsn.fay.ar.us>
Organization: RF Engineering, Del Mar, California
Lines: 40

In article <335@actsn.fay.ar.us> david@actsn.fay.ar.us (David Summers) writes:


> I'm really excited by this and in a way am kind of confused
> as to why it has taken so long (???) to come up with a
> binary "standard" for e-mail?

Well, to start off with, it is no mistake nor accident that
many uucp sites limit the size and content of the email they
are willing to process.

In the Unix world the "binary standard for e-mail" is called
"uucp."  

If you point out that most sites won't forward multi-hop
uucp traffic, I'll again claim that it is no mistake nor
accident. 


> It SOUNDS like it wouldn't be too hard to make changes to
> support this.  

It's not a technical problem, it's a social problem.  Many
uucp sites don't wish to pick up the tab so that you can
transfer your gifs or fax files at no cost to yourself.


> Am I being naive?

Only politically. :-)


> Also: What about UseNet/NetNews?  Could this also apply to
> that?

Same answer.

--
Rick Farris  RF Engineering POB M Del Mar, CA 92014  voice (619) 259-6793
rfarris@rfengr.com     ...!ucsd!serene!rfarris      serenity bbs 259-7757