[sclug] TopPosting Was: Helping others into FOSS/Linux

[Alan Pope]

On 03/05/05, Hamlesh Motah <admin at hamlesh.com> wrote:
> Both Neil's and your views expressed how I felt when I was asked not to
> top post (once I read what it was).  I must not be understanding, if its
> such a bad practise why hasn't it formed a greater more weightier part
> of the business community email etiquette, whom to be fair are starting
> to use email more than the average geeks.
> 

One simple reason. Microsoft. Your average desktop user has one email
client and thats Microsoft Outhouse. Either that or Lotus Notes. The
default in both of those apps is to top post.

IMO people who top-post and people who advocate top-posting are just
lazy arrogant and inconsiderate, pure and simple. There, I said it. :)

They're often delluded that just because when they hit [reply] their
(rather cruddy) mail client top-posts it must be the default for
everyone, which it isn't. People who top post generally also tend to
be the kinds of people who don't trim replies either.

Putting those two things together makes for a quick and easy typing
experience for the top posting mail creator but an awful experience
for others who are trying to read the mail.

Cheers,
Al.