> OK, but why can't the PC Outlook user do anything with the attached MIME
> part (like drop it on their calendar folder and have an appointment
> created)? Is this an Outlook incompatibility or am I still missing the
> point of the attachment?
It's possible to define a standard to send just about any kind of
information. Especially when you're dealing with MIME.
However, not all email clients have knowledge of all standards. And new
MIME types (usually) require the mail clients to be updated to deal with
them.
There was once a protocol specification that actually allowed mail clients
to lookup a central store of "translators"...but I don't recall whether or
not it was ever finished. I do recall that it was certainly complicated.
IBM's CORBA and Apple's OpenDoc (and potentially parts of Microsoft's .NET)
actually all attempt(ed) to approach parts of those same problems.
Anyway, short version: Just because you receive a MIME part of type 'xxxx'
doesn't mean that your mail client will have the faintest clue what to do
with it.
In an ideal word, the mail client would be able to lookup an appropriate
handler and hand it off. Of course, an ideal world would have to be much
more secure...'cause handing off arbitrary attachments can be mighty
dangerous. ;-)
mikel
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