La Trobe University, Bendigo

Department of Computer Science & Computer Engineering (Bendigo)

INT21CN, INT31CN and INT31BCN: Computer Networks

Assignment 1, 2005

Welcome to the first assignment for Computer Networks! This assignment is entirely on-line. There should be no need for anyone to print copies of the assignment sheet, and no need to hand paper copies of anything to the lecturer. Your task is simply to send an email message. However, it's not just any old email -- it has to meet certain requirements. These are:

1. Your email must contain at least two parts, in compliance with the MIME standard for "multipart/mixed" or "multipart/alternative" messages: a plain text part (with a MIME-type of "text/plain") and at least one attachment of any type you desire -- preferably not too large (eg no greater than about 100kB), though.

2. The plain text message part should identify who you are -- basically it should contain the information which would normally accompany any other assignment: your name, and your student number. You don't have to include the usual "Statement of Authorship" for this particular assignment.

3. Here's the catch: the plain text part of the message must also describe the structure of the message (eg, text plus an image) and also correctly state the mimetype of the attachment (or attachments, if there's more than one) in the email. Note that we don't care if the mimetype is wrong for the attached file format, we only care that you can correctly tell us what it's given as in the email.

   For example, if you submit an email with a GIF image (and your email software correctly sets the mimetype), you might say something like:

   "My multipart/mixed email message contains a text/plain part and an image/gif part"

   You are strongly advised, before you submit, to send a test email to (eg) a friend, preferably one who uses different email software to you, and to use the "Message Information" menu (or whatever it's called in their software), to discover how the message was structured. You can use the information thus gained to correctly submit your assignment.

   BTW: you are not required to (eg) telnet to port 25 on a server and type in the message using SMTP. You should use whatever email software is most convenient for you.

4. Finally, DO NOT submit your work to your lecturer's ordinary email address. Assignments must be sent to the special submission address:

   cnsubmit@ironbark.bendigo.latrobe.edu.au
   

   This address exists only for the submission of assignments for this subject. This email address will be enabled within the next few days

Your assignment will be marked both on whether you have succeeded in the tasks above, not on (for example) the quality of the attachment -- which we probably won't even look at anyway. If your description of the email you send is wrong, as outlined above, you will automatically fail. There is no provision for "re-submits" -- the point of this assignment is for you to understand what your email software is doing. When you submit your assignment, you should get an auto-generated reply (NOT WORKING as at 7th April) telling you that your submission has been received. Please don't submit your assignment multiple times if you don't get an auto-reply message. If you do resubmit, only your first submission will be marked.

This assignment carries 5% of your mark for Computer Networks.

Due Date:

Friday, 8th April 2005, 5pm, no extensions without medical certificate. If your submission is not in the cnsubmit mailbox by this time, it may not be assessed. Because this assignment will be marked "on-line", your should have your mark returned by email within a few days.

Lecturer

Phil Scott, 5444 7277