Meaningless characters in emails

Mike

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Jan 22, 2007, 1:24:02 PM1/22/07

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It has happened to me several times to receive emails where part of the text is
meaningless (e.g., the string "=20" appended to some words or links). What is causing this
? Are my settings wrong or the fault lies with the sender's ??
It is very annoying and unesthetical. Can someone please help ??
Thanks in advance.

Mike

Garry Knight

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Jan 22, 2007, 1:53:50 PM1/22/07

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Mike wrote:

> It has happened to me several times to receive emails where part of the
> text is meaningless (e.g., the string "=20" appended to some words

It's usually caused by the sender using Quoted Printable format mail.
Usually only fixable by beating them until they stop. Or you could ask them
nicely... :-)

--
Garry Knight
garry...@gmx.net

Mike

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Jan 22, 2007, 2:07:23 PM1/22/07

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Thanks, Garry ! I'll beat them to a pulp ! :-)
Joking aside, what shall I tell them to use ? Base 64 ? None ? Uuencode ?

Mike
-----------------------------------------------------
"Garry Knight" <garry...@gmx.net> wrote in message
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Garry Knight

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Jan 22, 2007, 2:59:25 PM1/22/07

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Mike wrote:

> what shall I tell them to use ? Base 64 ? None ? Uuencode ?

Actually, now I'm wondering if I've got that wrong. I remember having this
problem years ago when people were sending me mail generated by the
StarOffice suite. I thought I remembered it as being Quoted Printable, but
now I'm wondering if it was Base 64. I've just checked one of the current
mails in my inbox and it's quoted printable, so maybe they are sending you
Base 64.

Anyway, if you can even get them to find out what it is they're using, it
would be a start. Then get them to try anything else. If you still can't
read it, it's time for the clue stick... :-)

--
Garry Knight
garry...@gmx.net

Beverly Howard [Ms-MVP/MobileDev]

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Jan 22, 2007, 3:10:28 PM1/22/07

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This generally happens when the sender uses characters outside of the
standard ascii character set.

one of the most common is when they compose a message containing quotes
using Word, which uses the normal "quote" mark (next to the enter key)
and generates a special one for the opening quote (reversed from the end
one) ... looks neater, so that trumps all other problems it might create.

The "=20" probably refers to special handling of the <space>
character... perhaps the message was composed in html and then sent as
"both"

You will see this often in messages from foreign correspondents as they
often used extended character sets.

One thing that often helps is to ask them to edit your email address and
set it as "plain text" ...in outlook, right click the
email/properties/format/plaintext

Beverly Howard [MS MVP-Mobile Devices]

Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]

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Jan 23, 2007, 5:34:28 AM1/23/07

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That's the standard "Quoted Printable" format. Strange your mailer client
doesn't decode it - all PPC mailers do know it, except for the crappy and in
no way recommended Pocket SpamFilter.

If your particular mailer isn't Pocket SpamFilter, feel free to PM (forward,
preferably as an attahcmnemt) me a sample e-mail received from the given
person (feel free to remove any classidied info from it - it won't have an
effect on the protocol-level problem) and I tell you what the problem is
(I'm a mailing protocols guru so I don't think I'd have any problem tracking
down the bug).

(Also see the "quoted-printable 8859-1 parts" column in the Comparison Chart
( http://www.winmobiletech.com/022006MailerClients/MailerCompChart.html ) of
the PPC Mailer Bible (
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/index.php?blog=3&p=569&more=1&c=1&tb=1&pb=1
) for more info & screenshots & explanations if interested.)

--

--
Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen - Microsoft MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices
Please see the Pocket PC Mag Expert Blog (including mine) at
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/ - you will definitely like it.

"Mike" <too...@no-spam-tin.it> wrote in message
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Mike

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Jan 23, 2007, 6:27:12 AM1/23/07

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Thanks, Werner I'll send you an email right away !!

Mike
-----------------------------------------------------------------------
"Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]" <!ei.maileja@kiitos!>
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Mike

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Jan 23, 2007, 6:34:52 AM1/23/07

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What is your address, Werner ?? There's no ".com" after the "kiitos" domain. Anti-spam
trick ? Or shall I post the email to the group ??
Thanks a million.

Mike

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

"Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]" <!ei.maileja@kiitos!>
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Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]

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Jan 23, 2007, 6:40:48 AM1/23/07

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Sorry for the confusion about my e-mail address; I'll change it to something
English (instead of the current Finnish) about "no private mails please" :)

I've sent you an e-mail after removing no-spam- (hope it'l become OK then)

--

--
Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen - Microsoft MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices
Please see the Pocket PC Mag Expert Blog (including mine) at
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/ - you will definitely like it.

"Mike" <too...@no-spam-tin.it> wrote in message

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Mike

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Jan 23, 2007, 7:17:57 AM1/23/07

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So far I haven't received anything from you, but I emailed you from my PDA a sample
message with the "garbage" characters. Hope the address is correct, I've just appended
".com" to your address.

Mike

------------------------------------------------------------------------------------
"Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]" <!ei.maileja@kiitos!>

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Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]

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Jan 23, 2007, 7:43:52 AM1/23/07

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use info AT win mobile tech DOT com (remove all the spaces)

--

--
Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen - Microsoft MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices
Please see the Pocket PC Mag Expert Blog (including mine) at
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/ - you will definitely like it.

"Mike" <too...@no-spam-tin.it> wrote in message

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Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]

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Jan 23, 2007, 8:13:34 AM1/23/07

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OK, got the mail, will check it soon.

--

--
Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen - Microsoft MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices
Please see the Pocket PC Mag Expert Blog (including mine) at
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/ - you will definitely like it.

"Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]"
<!ei.maileja@kiitos!> wrote in message

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Mike

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Jan 23, 2007, 2:54:31 PM1/23/07

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Werner,
did you have time to check my mail and find where the problem lies ?
Thanks.

Mike
----------------------------------------------------------

"Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]" <!ei.maileja@kiitos!>

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Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices]

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Jan 29, 2007, 2:56:54 AM1/29/07

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yeah, check you private mail.

--

--
Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen - Microsoft MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices
Please see the Pocket PC Mag Expert Blog (including mine) at
http://www.pocketpcmag.com/blogs/ - you will definitely like it.

"Mike" <too...@no-spam-tin.it> wrote in message

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xTenn

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Jan 29, 2007, 8:24:49 AM1/29/07

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Werner "Menneisyys" Ruotsalainen [MVP - Windows - Mobile Devices] wrote:
> yeah, check you private mail.
>

Just curious, what if part of the solution email is scrambled with
meaningless characters... ;)