Re: Screenshots etc.

JJ,

> But technology evolve. I think it all started when MIME was
> created (in early 90s) and allow messages to be delivered in
> full 8-bit glory instead of just 7-bit. [*]

I think you got your cause and effect reversed.  BASE64 was used before 
MIME.  In that time newsgroup readers recognised the BASE64 encoded block 
and could decode and save it.  MIME just defined the proccess better.

> UTF-8 encoded messages may be in 8-bit form instead of 7-bit

What about *must* be in 8-bit form ?  Otherwise, when the high bit is 
stripped, you are left with jumbled ASCII. :-)

> depending on the sender's usenet/email client application.

The problem was not the client, but the (intermediate) newsgroup servers. 
In the early days those could be 7-bit ASCII only (mechanical teletype 
terminals) - besides that other characterset encodngs could be used, like 
EBDIC.  A transparent translation between characterset encodings was the 
intention of the early NNTP rules.

> [*] Even though 8-bit form is possible, I'm not sure Null character
> can be successfully sent.

NNTP specified which contol characters where allowed, which excuded most of 
the characters below 0x20.  Including the 0x00 character.

Regards,
Rudy Wieser