Library /sys$common/syshlp/mime$help.hlb Overview, Getting Started  *Conan The Librarian (sorry for the slow response - running on an old VAX)

    The MIME utility is a tool for reading MIME-formatted messages that
    are delivered in VMSMAIL messages.   SMTP/MIME based mail systems,
    such as the Compaq TCP/IP Services for OpenVMS mail system, deposit
    incoming MIME-formatted messages  into the VMSMAIL message store.

    To read and extract binary attachments in such messages, use
    VMSMAIL to extract the message into a text file; then run the
    MIME utility to interpret its contents.

    This approach would allow MIME to be easily backported and used
    on previous versions of OpenVMS, without changing the existing
    VMSMAIL environment.

    On some SMTP/MIME mail systems, the message headers can be moved
    from the beginning of the message, where they would normally
    appear, to the end of the  message, as a convenience  to the
    reader. Unfortunately, this makes it impossible for MIME
    interpreters such as  the MIME utility to interpret the contents
    of the message. If SMTP  messages are reformatted in this
    manner, see the system administrator  about disabling this
    feature so that SMTP headers appear in their  original position
    at the beginning of the message. For Compaq TCP/IP  Services for
    OpenVMS, you can disable this feature using the SET
    CONFIGURATION SMTP/OPTIONS=TOP command.