Using MIME
==========

   Mime is a standard for waving your hands through the air, aimlessly,
while people stand around yawning.

   MIME, however, is a standard for encoding your articles, aimlessly,
while all newsreaders die of fear.

   MIME may specify what character set the article uses, the encoding
of the characters, and it also makes it possible to embed pictures and
other naughty stuff in innocent-looking articles.

   Gnus handles MIME by shoving the articles through
`gnus-show-mime-method', which is `metamail-buffer' by default.  Set
`gnus-show-mime' to `t' if you want to use MIME all the time.  However,
if `gnus-strict-mime' is non-`nil', the MIME method will only be used
if there are MIME headers in the article.

   It might be best to just use the toggling functions from the summary
buffer to avoid getting nasty surprises. (For instance, you enter the
group `alt.sing-a-long' and, before you know it, MIME has decoded the
sound file in the article and some horrible sing-a-long song comes
streaming out out your speakers, and you can't find the volume button,
because there isn't one, and people are starting to look at you, and
you try to stop the program, but you can't, and you can't find the
program to control the volume, and everybody else in the room suddenly
decides to look at you disdainfully, and you'll feel rather stupid.)

   Any similarity to real events and people is purely coincidental.
Ahem.