cut here markers for code snippets in mail

[Andreas Reuleaux]

Hi,

I have seen people highlighting code snippets in mail
with "cut here markers": some ascii art for scissors, "cut here",
"start", "end", ..., like so:


--8<---------------cut here---------------start------------->8---
rm -f /etc/fonts/conf.d/70-no-bitmaps.conf
ln -f -s /usr/share/fontconfig/conf.avail/70-yes-bitmaps.conf  /etc/fonts/conf.d
--8<---------------cut here---------------end--------------->8---


which is kind of nice, and simple (as I don't want to get into
composing html mails with org-mime or the like).

I get to see them "green on yellow" in gnus (once I have received
such mails), or when in draft status (in my drafts folder).

Two questions (at least):

For one thing, I wonder if this behaviour is anywhere
documented/specified/explained in more detail?

And then: I would like to see my code green-on-yellow snippets in
message mode as well (when composing mail), or at least as a toggle:
see how my mail would look to the recipient.

And how are people actually using these "cut here markers":
insert them by hand, as I did above? Or is there some automatic support
for this hidden somewhere? - Or any other mechanisms for
such code snippets highlighting - in org mode nevertheless perhaps [?]:
I don't want to send html mails, but maybe org-mime / orgmsg / etc.
are useful for composing mails?

I only use gnus - nothing else (TM).


Thanks in advance,
  -A