Understanding Email Message Source: A Problem Analysis

[overlyeducate]

Consider the email message source below, and answer the questions that follow.

Return-path: <xxxx@xxxx.xxx>
Received: from cs.smith.edu (scinix.smith.edu [131.229.72.8])
by gwsmtp1.smith.edu with ESMTP; Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:17:33 -0400
Received: by cs.smith.edu (Postfix)
id D8D19EEC01; Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:17:33 -0400 (EDT)
Delivered-To: xxxx@xxxx.xxx
Received: from gwsmtp1.smith.edu (gwsmtp1.smith.edu [131.229.64.55])
by cs.smith.edu (Postfix) with SMTP id CB879EEA8A
for <xxxx@xxxx.xxx>; Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:17:33 -0400 (EDT)
Received: from SMTP1DOM-MTA by gwsmtp1.smith.edu
with Novell_GroupWise; Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:17:33 -0400
Message-Id: <4DBA90320200004200028743@gwsmtp1.smith.edu>
X-Mailer: Novell GroupWise Internet Agent 8.0.2
Date: Fri, 29 Apr 2011 10:17:22 -0400
From: "Nicholas Howe" <xxxx@xxxx.xxx>
To: <xxxx@xxxx.xxx>
Subject: Exam Question
Mime-Version: 1.0
Content-Type: multipart/mixed; boundary="=__Part3519CF62.0__="
This is a MIME message. If you are reading this text, you may want to
consider changing to a mail reader or gateway that understands how to
properly handle MIME multipart messages.
--=__Part3519CF62.0__=
Content-Type: text/plain; charset=US-ASCII
Content-Transfer-Encoding: quoted-printable
Content-Disposition: inline
See if you can figure out the different parts of this message. Good luck!
Nicholas R. Howe, Associate Professor
354 Ford Hall, Smith College
Northampton, MA 01063
(413) 585-3878 / xxxx@xxxx.xxx=20
--=__Part3519CF62.0__=
Content-Type: image/png; name="examimg.png"
Content-Transfer-Encoding: base64
Content-Disposition: attachment; filename="examimg.png"
iVBORw0KGgoAAAANSUhEUgAAAAoAAAAKCAIAAAACUFjqAAAAAXNSR0IArs4c6QAAAARnQU1BAACx
jwv8YQUAAAAJcEhZcwAADsMAAA7DAcdvqGQAAABOSURBVChTY/iPFzAAZRkWvXgro4JJgqSAGCiH
aQRQNVQawkIGSht9gAi7bogcum6Icrg+iI0IuyESEEUQ96LbDZeDuxeqG6vfoLrxBAwAbHTqca9g
CtIAAAAASUVORK5CYII=
--=__Part3519CF62.0__=--

a.) How many times was this message handled by a mail server before it reached me?
b.) What is the last line of the header of this email (i.e., the line just before the body)?
c.) How many parts are there to the body of this email message?
d.) What type of content appears in each part of the message? (Please specify both the major and minor MIME type.)

Could I please have help with this problem? I've looked at it numerous times, but I honestly seem to be having trouble with all four parts. The way the message is set up seems to be confusing me. I would appreciate any help that I could get. Thank you!

 

[Borek]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Email#Message_header

Is it a homework? It certainly looks like one.

Please don't post real emails on the forum, they are harvested by bots and whoever owns the address will be soon spammed.

 

[overlyeducate]

Oh, I'm sorry. I didn't know. This is a homework question, and it was somewhat comfusing for me. I saw the address that you left, so I will look at it and see if it helps my cause. Thank you for letting me know.

 

[Borek]

This is a homework question

Please read forum rules.

You have to show your attempts at solving the question to receive help. This is a forum policy.

 

[overlyeducate]

Ok. Thank you for letting me know.