/*/To: Bullinkle@pentagon.gov
Subject: Save us
Dear Moose,
How's Rocky?
Please debug the C program below ASAP.
Thanks,
The free world.
/*//*------ CUT HERE --------*/
/*//* C comment */
main(){
printf("Hello world\n");
}

/*/
!END!
Remember to ask about Rocky!
*/



If the text above the line is fed to a C compiler, it will compile, 
but when the email message is sent, the /*/'s are removed. 

We use the symmetric /*/  rather than the unsymmetrical /* ... */ 
to prevent a problem where a /*/* may sometimes be read  as 
/ then */ which kills the comment, followed by another * which is 
almost always an error.

It is an interesting exercise to convince yourself that 
the text above is commented as follows. The first comment 
runs from the start to the /*/ on the  CUT HERE line. 
The rest of that line is also commented out. The entire 
"C comment" line is a comment. The last comment from the
compiler's point of view goes from the !END! line down to 
the "Remember to ask about Rocky!" line.


*************************************************

The message will be mailed to Bullinkle@pentagon.gov;
the subject line will read Save us
and the message will appear to the recipient as

Dear Moose,
How's Rocky?
Please debug the C program below ASAP.
Thanks,
The free world.
/*------ CUT HERE --------*/
/* C comment */
main(){
printf("Hello world\n");
}