[Hudlug] Plain Text emails

[Ross Brown]

Whilst I agree with the basis of your argument, it doesn't work in the
real world: in the real world people don't use Thunderbird (cause I
don't particularly want my old mum beta testing software), have no idea
what a rendering engine is and use the copy of Outlook Express their
Windows box came bundled with.

> I am not sure how the term "average Joe" helps us.

Because it makes the point that, unlike the experts on this list, the
average person likes to send and receive email that "looks nice".

> Please understand that unless there is a silent majority that I am
unaware of, a preference 
> for
> 
>   No spam at all
>   No viruses at all
>   plain text only
> 
> is more or less universal amongst people who read e-mail.

Ignoring some strange logic which says that HTML email is up there with
spam and viruses as a "problem", I think you'll find your basic premise
is wrong. People who read email, in the majority of cases, want to
receive information. If that information is made more-easily digestible
because it "looks nice" then they'll be a damn sight happier about
things.

Clinging on to a belief that only plain text email should ever be
allowed, is similar thinking to that which says that we were all doing
fine with command lines and why, oh, why did someone invent the GUI - it
only eats up processing power and means you've got to get a more
powerful machine. I've been sending emails for more than 12 years, and I
know all the reasons why things work "better" with plain text emails -
but I also live in the real world. If the Internet is to be used by
"non-techies" then it has to appeal to them aesthetically (it's why
Linux has yet to *really* take off on the desktop cause it's still a bit
clunky), and that means "looking nice."

RB