On Fri, Jul 17, 2009 at 02:04:15PM -0500, Kyle Wheeler wrote: > Actually, RFC 2046 is more recent, but says nearly the exact same > thing. It adds: > > Systems should recognize that the content of the various parts [of > multipart/alternative sections] are interchangeable. Systems > should choose the "best" type based on the local environment and > references, in some cases even through user interaction. > > By "Systems", I'm pretty sure they mean "recipient systems".
That's pretty interesting: The MUA *should* "choose the "best" type based on the local environment and references, in some cases even through user interaction". I find that so interesting because it basically means that the MUA should display a "type" (a message, or part of a message) in just the way the user would want it. Insofar the user is the recipient, the RFC says "To hell with how the sender wanted something to be displayed! Always display it as the recipient wants it to be displayed!" If you transcribe this to the counting of attachments, it means that the MUA should count attachments the way the user wants them to be counted.
