[Hudlug] Plain Text emails

[Anne Wilson]

On Friday 22 Aug 2003 12:59 pm, Ross Brown wrote:
> 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
>
Hmmm - I've been using email regularly for about the same length of 
time.  Not one of the people I correspond with have ever asked me to 
send html.  A couple, when asked by me not to send them to me, asked 
why I don't want them.  Both, after hearing the explanation, promptly 
changed to plain text and have used it ever since.

I have to question your 'most' in this respect.  However, that apart, 
it is common courtesy to abide by the policy of any list that you 
join - and most require that email should be plain text.  Please 
comply.

Anne