[Gllug] [OT] Largest mailbox EVER!

[Jack Bertram]

I seem to have started an argument that I didn't want to start.  As
you'll note, I try to follow standard email conventions in posting to
mailing lists, and I didn't want to start some kind of flamewar about
HTML.  Answers below, but please don't interpret them as inflammatory.

* Jason Clifford <jason at ukpost.com> [031119 10:58]:
> On Wed, 19 Nov 2003, Jack Bertram wrote:
> 
> > I'd never use formatting on a Linux list, but for business communication
> > I'm afraid the lack of formatting is a massive disadvantage.
> 
> That arguement is simply proof that people are seeking to use email 
> incorrectly.

I don't agree with you - email, like all other forms of communication,
is evelving - in this case, it's developing as technology improves and
things are becoming easier.  You seem to be keeping to the 1970s notions
of "email should be plain text so as not to waste bandwidth", but most
people who use email for business aren't concerned about that - they're
concerned about time and speed. In different contexts, different things
are important.

> If you need to send a document where formatting is significant either 
> print it out and post it or make a PDF and attach it to a brief email.

A one-page memo can either be written in Word/PDF and attached, causing
a recipient to have to launch another program to read it every time
he/she wants to look at the memo (not just on first delivery) or it can
be written as body text in an email where it takes one key stroke to
display it.  Someone has elsewhere pointed out in this thread that it's
useful to be able to display images inline - why doesn't the same go for
formatting?   

> In almost all business communication formatting of text is not 
> significant. Well written business communication doesn't need it.

Evidence?  There are enormous quantities of evidence suggesting that
well-used styles can make a big difference to comprehension.  For
example, consistent formatting of major/minor headings, subheadings,
etc. Why should people learn a whole different style of formatting
(ASCII) to make their email communications consistent with their other
communications?

* Tethys <tet at createservices.com> [031119 10:59]:
> 
> Jack Bertram writes:
> 
> >I'd never use formatting on a Linux list, but for business communication
> >I'm afraid the lack of formatting is a massive disadvantage.
> 
> No, actually it's not. It's just perceived that way.

Esse est percipi.  For the reasons above, in my experience it is a
disadvantage.

Look - I understand the technical issues here.  But now that bandwidth
is becoming increasingly less important in internet communication, why
isn't email moving towards ease-of-use just as word processing and
presentations already have done?

jack

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