[extropy-chat] META: HTML posts

[BillK]

On 11/11/06, pjmanney wrote:
> I have, however, found 'netiquette' on the Wikipedia, so I now know the issues.  Don't get
> me wrong.  I am a stickler for etiquette.  I believe the world's devaluation of manners
> represents societal devolution, not evolution.  But I am also aware etiquette is culture
> specific.  I am endeavoring to understand your culture.  I feel like Margaret Mead.
>
> So I did some detective work.  My new email system defaults HTML, so I changed it.
> It should plain text from now on.  Then I checked my Sent file.  Yes, I had generated a
> few of the HTMLs inadvertantly myself, and I apologize, but I replied to other people's
> HTMLs as well.  At least I was in good company.
>
> This email address is used by me exclusively for H+ stuff.  I've checked my trash from
> over a half-dozen lists (about 1800 messages right now -- only a month's worth!).  HTML
> abounds.  On many lists, it's the norm.
>
> So what does that mean?  And what would Emily Post or Miss Manners say?
>

It depends on the members of each mailing list. If everyone on a
particular mail list is using Windows and/or Outlook and HTML mail
then everyone is in the same boat.
You won't often find computer technical experts on lists like that though.

Windows and HTML mail open up many security issues that computer
experts prefer to avoid. Some do this by avoiding Windows software
altogether and assembling their own collection of software and using
simple text-only emails. As you have discovered, this means that when
these people receive HTML mail, it looks like jumbled garbage in their
text mail software.

It is polite to check that people can read HTML mail before sending it
to them and most modern mail software do this by having the default
setting to reply in the same format as the original mail. This is fine
for private emails. But when you send an HTML mail to a mailing list
this can cause a cascade of HTML responses to the list from software
set up in this fashion, causing even more annoyance to the text email
readers.

Many users here use gmail (google mail) for their mail lists as they
can store thousands of emails in gmail without using up space on their
own pc, mail threads are grouped together and they can access their
gmail from any pc with internet access. gmail has the option for
'plain text' or 'rich formatting' at the top of each email, so it is a
one-click change if you want send HTML mail to someone privately.

BillK