1.  INTRODUCTION

1.1.  SCOPE

     This standard specifies a syntax for text messages that  are
sent  among  computer  users, within the framework of "electronic
mail".  The standard supersedes  the  one  specified  in  ARPANET
Request  for Comments #733, "Standard for the Format of ARPA Net-
work Text Messages".

1.2.  COMMUNICATION FRAMEWORK

     Messages consist of lines of text.   No  special  provisions
are  made for encoding drawings, facsimile, speech, or structured
text.  No significant consideration has been given  to  questions
of  data  compression  or to transmission and storage efficiency,
and the standard tends to be free with the number  of  bits  con-
sumed.   For  example,  field  names  are specified as free text,
rather than special terse codes.

2. BLAH