[sclug] top posting

[AlanCocks]

Damion Yates wrote:
>  On Wed, 4 May 2005, AlanCocks wrote:
>  [snipped]

[...]

>  I wasn't going to continue this - by now rediculously long, "how bad
>  is top-posting" thread - but I was rather surprised by your email.

you may notice I *never* top post in groups and never have for all my 
years on groups.....

>  I have to say, it's almost as if you don't tend to use in-line
>  replying much.

I use it a lot - at least when approriate! It is very efficient. Complex 
(multi-point) messages were mentioned in my post I think?

>  It could simply be that you don't deal with experienced email senders
>  much and so have had little exposure.

I did say - it depends on the circumstances. That was a point I was 
trying to make, and obviously failed   :-(

I have had a lot of experience, but in dealing with many who are not 
experienced, including on groups - many groups, it pays to be 
appropriately tactful.

Note - I am not the same as my recipients. I have had a lot of exposure. 
In many cases they have not.

I can refer you to a group where people are out of work due to chronic 
pain, and get support from a group. Top posting is *never* commented on! 
They are doing well just to use email. It can be an irritation, but it 
depends on *circumstances*. The group terms etc do not even mention top 
posting.

I said I worked in the construction industry - typical of a contractual 
and litigious environment. The complete set of previous mail is useful 
just before you go to court.... When in Rome etc. The company used Lotus 
Notes. Easy to delete previous mails yes of course. But there was a 
reason not to. I remember spending a week making a case to refute a 
multi million pound claim against us. Circumstances. Those old mails 
never snipped can be quickly useful.

>  It seems like you're one of those rare advocates of top-posting I
>  mentioned seeing very little of.

Wrong, sorry. I failed again in making my point :-(

I loath top posting in discussion groups, and in fact dislike it in most 
other contexts. But that is not a logical useful point in a discussion.

However, some of the best people I know use it.... and it has some 
advantages. Depending upon *circumstances*. Personally I cannot think of 
an advantage for top posting in a discussion group environment.

In my post I tried very hard, and obviously failed, to show that neither 
top nor bottom nor inline posting were right nor wrong, but it depended 
on circumstances, including what was convenient in practice, and what 
might be a stated convention for that environment.

>  I'm guessing you were initially indoctrinated in to a MS top-posting
>  norm and have, like many, only just started to do in-line emails?
>  If it's not too rude a question, can I ask how long you've been using
>  email ?

Wrong ball park sorry. A long time. I am retired. If you have a spare 
weekend look up my usual node  @candt.demon on google groups.

It might be worth re-reading my message too.

I covered a lot in my message and ended up with putting the case *for* 
inline and bottom posting in discussion groups etc, not top posting.
-- 
alan cocks