Re: OK, so how do I *use* MIME?

[Richard Coleman <coleman@math.gatech.edu>]

> > | ...The fact that
> > | application/x-gzip64 is an abomination is a totally different problem. :)
> > 
> > What is the proper MIME type for for base64 encoded gzip files ?
> > I've also seen plain "application/gzip"
> 
>   i assume one would need an appropriate content-transfer-encoding.  Not a
> content-type for this.  So you would have:
> 
> Content-type: application/x-tar
> Content-transfer-encoding: x-base64-gzip
> 
> [base64 gobbledygook]
> 
> I don't know if such a beast exists or not.  Or just have a content-type of 
> application/octet-stream and a content-transfer-encoding of 'base64' and
> let the user figure it out.

Defining your own CTE such as x-base64-gzip is strongly discouraged
by the MIME RFC's.  Most e-mail clients would be at a loss on how to
handle these.  Many would just bomb out and not even give you the
opportunity to save it to a file.

Since you would have to make arrangements beforehand on what the
format of these message would be, you might as will just use:

Content-transfer-encoding: base64
Content-type: application/x-gzip

and make arrangements on how to handle the file after the base64 is
removed.

--
Richard Coleman
coleman@math.gatech.edu