RFC 1153 (rfc1153) - Page 1 of 4

Digest message format

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Network Working Group                                          F. Wancho
Request for Comments: 1153                                          WSMR
                                                              April 1990


                         Digest Message Format

Status of this Memo

   This memo describes the de facto standard Digest Message Format.
   This is an elective experimental protocol.  Distribution of this memo
   is unlimited.

Background

   High traffic volume large mailing lists began to appear on the net in
   the mid-70s.  The moderators of those lists developed a digest
   message format to enclose several messages into one composite message
   for redistribution to the mailing list addressees.  This format
   reduces the mailer load in proportion to the number of messages
   contained within a digest message, and conserves network bandwidth by
   reducing the size of the headers of the enclosed messages.

   This RFC documents the digest message format so that others may
   follow this format in creating (digestifying) and separating
   (undigestifying) digest messages to maintain compatibility with the
   programs expecting this de facto standard.  Any editorial functions
   performed at the discretion of a digest moderator, such as discarding
   submissions, editing content to correct spelling and punctuation
   errors, inserting comments, and reformatting paragraphs to conform to
   width conventions are beyond the scope of this memo.

   This memo describes the de facto standard Digest Message Format.  It
   is not meant to supersede nor replace the generic message
   encapsulation format described in RFC 934.  It merely documents a
   particular message encapsulation format that existed well before RFC
   934 was published and continues to be the format of choice for digest
   messages.

Description

   A digest message is a conventional message consisting of a header and
   body conforming to RFC 822 as clarified in RFC 1123.  There is no
   fixed size.  Limitations may exist in intermediate mail gateways
   which restrict the size.  The typical digest size is 15,000
   characters.

   The header of a digest message should identify the digest in the



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