[Nottingham] Email Format - question

[David Aldred]

(Following immediate precedent by top-posting on this occasion)...

I think it depends what the point of the reply is.  If it's a quick 'I
think this' reply, then a top post means you get to read what the writer
said, without scrolling through all you said before (and
accepting people should snip out unnecessary context, quite a bit may still
be left in if it's relevant).

If it's a point-by-point debate, then interspersing quote
and comment is usually best; but not all mail clients handle that at all
well these days.

Must say i used to be very much a bottom-post advocate at one time, but
times do move on, and people are generally far more used to finding the
most recent content at the top.  Blogs, newslists, the email people use at
work, twitter feeds, facebook, gmail: they all default to put the most
recent at the top, and for quite good reasons.

David Aldred


On 13 July 2012 11:45, T.J long thing <tall_long_thing at hotmail.com> wrote:

> I prefer top posting, as if your staying up to date with the mailing list
> you can just read it rather than having to scroll down the entire trail
> just to find the latest answer. Plus the old blackberry's don't allow
> bottom posting
> Sent using BlackBerry® from Orange
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Martin <martin at ml1.co.uk>
> Date: Fri, 13 Jul 2012 10:40:32
> To: <nottingham at mailman.lug.org.uk>
> Subject: Re: [Nottingham] Email Format - question
>
>
> On 12/07/12 21:54, Jason Irwin wrote:
> > === Preamble ===
> > I don't want to try and tell people how to suck eggs, so you can skip
> > this bit if the word "Netiquette" has any meaning to you.
> >
> [---]
> > My personal little list would be:
> > 1) Text only (if possible)
> > 2) Only quote relevant parts, not whole tracts
> > 3) DON'T SHOUT
> > 4) Be polite, and use emoticons to add meaning where text is not enough.
>
> Good fair comment, and something that I would hope new users would soon
> pick up from the existing style of the list...
>
>
> > I've left out top-quote/bottom-post as different devices kinda lend
> > themselves to different things.
>
> Hey! An occasional flame war can be healthy ;-)
>
> And so James jumps right in :-)
>
> And myself also :-) :-)
>
> For top/bottom posting, unfortunately we appear to be victim to whatever
> 'commercial device' or email client is being used. For myself, I much
> prefer bottom or inline posting for discussions to maintain
> chronological order and to encourage trimming out extraneous comment.
> (As shown by this reply.) We do read top-to-bottom and left-to-right
> after all...
>
> We can leave the business practice of top posting to the business world
> typical cover-my-arse-audit-trail business use...
>
> Those using mobile devices have a good excuse due to the limitations of
> those devices. However, the manufacturers' self-advertising signatures
> are rather annoying though...
>
>
> > I don't think a long list of "Thou shall not" directives with a "List
> > Police" will get anyone anywhere, but maybe a short list of "If at all
> > possible, please..."
>
> Hopefully, gentle positive peer pressure will keep things positive. Best
> is to keep away from the old-school religions of "Thou Shalt Not". That
> encourages too much evil in sneaking around the "Shalt Not". Far better
> is to go "New School" to suggest what is best done for the common good.
>
> (Ooooer... That getting religious?! ;-) )
>
>
> Don't know what happens with the mail digests... Are they still usable?
>
> Cheers,
> Martin
>
>
> --
> - ------------------ - ----------------------------------------
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