Hallo Alan!   
      
    AI> Right, cp850 is much better!   
      
   Only if you do this first;  iconv -f cp850 -t utf8 -o utf8.msg cp850.msg   
      
   However in the case of "MSGID: 1:229/275 6f74f81b", the exact same sed call   
   will produce the exact same results given that cp437 and cp850 use the same   
   character for 0xC4, which is a line drawing character resembling the minus   
   sign in real ascii.  Real ascii only goes up to 0x7f so 0xc4 is right out.   
      
   Anyhow I think the ascii rendering of "MSGID: 1:229/275 6f74f81b" is infinetly   
   better given it's default universality.  I see absolutely no gain with the   
   0xc4 character.  Do you?   
      
   Het leven is goed,   
   Maurice   
      
   ... Huil niet om mij, ik heb vi.   
   --- GNU bash, version 4.4.19(1)-release (x86_64-bonnell-linux-gnu)   
    * Origin: Little Mikey's EuroPoint - Ladysmith BC, Canada (2:280/464.113)