If you need good information on
email-related
RFCs, don't panic. Read
Programming Internet Email by
David Wood (
ISBN 1-56592-479-7) while
JustSomeGuy battles college finals.
I found the book quite enlightening. I have always suspected that the RFCs are succinct works of technical documentation, one thing they are not is scary. A good book welcomes you into a world of authoritive technical information out there on the Internet rarely touched by the programmers and power users who could really use them.
One just need a tour guide. After reading some Linux HOWTOs and a select few O'Reilly and Associates technical books, I discover all I need to learn are either in these books, or these books play the role of tour guides and point you to the real thing. The real thing being IETF standards (RFCs) and the documentations that comes with the Free Software that implement and use these standards. Programming Internet Email is a perfect example.
The book will help you fit together a dozen RFCs that describes how standards-based, secure and scalable electronic email communication can happen. The book will translate the science into practical everyday scripts and Perl modules (and Java classes) howtos. It's a must have.
I hope this book review is of value.