Re: Now posting from Windows...

From: Kevin Nathan (knathan_at_project54.com)
Date: 04/15/05 

Date: Thu, 14 Apr 2005 21:21:03 -0700

On Thu, 14 Apr 2005 19:33:50 -0500
George Peatty <peattyg47-1230@copper.net> wrote:

> In email, even Kmail, top posting is enabled by default. (Just
> checked) I mentioned this to someone online who tried to suggest
> there was a difference between email and usenet. I thought his
> differences were arbitrary.

Without even seeing his reasons, I'd have to agree with you. I don't see
any real difference; the problem is less noticeable in email since that
is usually a one-to-one communication, but is more of a problem when
it's a three- or four-way communication.

I run into this all the time because my brother (a self-confessed,
'shameless Wintard':) and a close friend and I often have running
discussions and we don't always intercept them linearly. IOW, brother
and friend may exchange three or four emails before I get a chance to
see them. When that happens, I have to remember to start at the bottom
and read my way up, which is *gargantually* annoying.

If they would respond to each other inline (which is a form of bottom
posting and is the method I prefer and use), even without snipping, it
would make much more sense. I often stop responding after about four
emails between them (eight msgs in top-posted order), because it's just
too hard to keep everything straight.

Now, on USENET, you see this almost as a matter of course, so the
problem is very evident. I personally don't care if someone top posts
since, if I'm overwhelmed with msgs on which to 'catch-up', the top
posters are simply skipped without reading, saving me time. The more top
posters, the less I have to read! :-)

> I'm not trying to persuade anyone, and I will abide by the group
> conscience declared here. Though I do not agree with that
> declaration. Just wanted to point out that others feel as AB does.

It's one thing to feel the same way, it's an entirely *other* matter to
forcefully reject the community's desires and traditions and calling
all of them, in effect, idiots for not believing his way. But, as I've
said before, it's each person's personal preference -- however, I don't
understand why someone like that would want to be on this ng, anyway, in
that case. The answers sure will dry up! ;-) 

-- 
Kevin Nathan (Arizona, USA)  
Open standards. Open source. Open minds. 
The command line is the front line.

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