Programming Internet Mail
Amazon.com Review
For most users, e-mail is just another application on their computers. For developers, however, Internet e-mail involves a dizzying array of standards and formats. Programming Internet Email takes all of today’s e-mail standards and puts them together in a readable form.
David Wood has compiled his knowledge of a broad array of topics to create this fine guide for both developers and the technologically curious. He explains what makes Internet e-mail work and then dives into the Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (MIME), Secure/Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions (S/MIME), Open Pretty Good Protocol (OpenPGP), and Post Office Protocol 3 (POP3) standards. Simple Mail Transfer Protocol (SMTP), Internet Message Access Protocol (IMAP), and vCard–the e-mail version of business cards–are also covered.
For each topic, the book simply explains its purpose and then presents its command usage with code examples. This discussion will be understood best by programmers, but the opening introductions easily reach those with more general expertise.
Beyond the basics, Wood presents the Java Mail API, antispamming techniques, attachment scrubbing, and Java-based IMAP mailbox monitoring.
While this book is a simple collection of separate technology discussions, it offers universal information on e-mail. Illustrative and filled with facts, this book will help you design your own e-mail client–or simply understand how one works. –Stephen W. Plain
$9.83 
Programming Internet Mail
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Bought this book to learn more about how email works so I could fight all the spam I am receiving. I did learn a lot about headers and how email works in general, but it didn’t answer all my questions. Still, if you’re looking for a general overview on email, this is a good book for the money.
Rating: 4 / 5
I wished it had gone into more depth, but it is a good book for beginning UNIX email administrators.
Rating: 3 / 5
This is a great book, and I think it is TOTALLY geared towards programming a working email app. It doesn’t just rehash the protocols, it discusses them a bit and gives them some context. No, you can’t find code in this book that you can copy and paste and have an email app running immediately, why would you WANT that? That’s what code repositories are for, this book is for someone who needs to make a custom application of some sort.
Yes you need to know some programming to use this book, that’s why it’s not called “how to program and also how to program internet email”. This book gives you the CONCEPTS (although they go into pretty good depth) of what your email program will need to do, and yeah, ugh I just can’t believe how badly those last two emails missed the point.
This book is way way more than a rehashing of protocols, it’s an essential reference for any serious programmer who needs to do any work on an internet email application. Awesome awesome book, and much needed.
Rating: 5 / 5
The previous reviewer hit it right on the head. This book is very light on programming. Don’t expect to build an email client by copying and modifying examples out of the book. But it does a good job on explaining the various mail protocols. I appreciated it on that level because books on internet protocols are rare.
Rating: 3 / 5
This is a basic book that really should not have the word “Programming” in the title. It does have some PERL and JAVA programs but these are not for real-world use.
It does however have some good information on different protocols such as IMAP, POP3, ESMTP, MIME and ACP. The book describes the protocols with flow diagrams and examples. This is useful to understand what is happening with a protocol. You could get the same information from the RFCs but the book is clearer of course.
No actual mail programs are discussed or mentioned. No information is given on HOW to actually use or even program Internet Email in the real world.
The book does have a list of RFCs, and MIME types. Also is included is a list of URLs but this list is woefully incomplete.
This isn’t necessary a bad book. It has some very good points but it really has nothing to do with “Programming” Internet Email. What “programming” is has is of limited use.
This book would not prepare you to actually run, administer, troubleshoot, or program any email system.
The book is a good book to gain an understanding of Internet Email and an understanding of the protocols in use. A good book to gain an understanding of the theory and operation of Internet Email protocols.
An OK book to have but the title is misleading.
Rating: 2 / 5