Hi Richard,
One of the problems is that many list members have problems changing their software settings: I know lots of edtech professionals who still haven't managed to fix their settings, so we go through this every time they post (you know who you are <grin>). Also, there are so many browser types, not to mention so many types of webmail tools, that there's no way for me to have a step-by-step instruction for how to make the change. I've tried and it simply doesn't work - either I don't know the tool they're using or they're unable to get it to work even with instructions.
Regarding attachments, they've never been allowed nor will I start allowing them. I just mentioned it so people would understand that the only rule I propose changing is that regarding HTML messages.
Richard Kimmel wrote:
Andy;
It seems since at least with Outlook you can set message type right off a
button that staying plain text is best. To me the issue would be that the
people who are part of the digital divide will be cut off potentially if we
use HTML.
As for attachments are they important? Are they very frequent? If so could a link to a resource area be set up that the sender would post the attachment into so others can retrieve the attachment? Which says the sender should set an url in their message that points at the document on the appropriate site. It seems over the years I do not remember attachments anyway it seems usually url's pointing at some information. That works fine for me.
Richard W. Kimmel, Jr DBA South Park Solutions PO Box 201201 Denver, CO 80220 (V) 303-394-3232 (F) 866-211-7926 Have a beautiful day, tomorrow is not promised
-----Original Message----- From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On Behalf Of Andy Carvin Sent: Friday, January 07, 2005 9:07 AM To: [EMAIL PROTECTED] Subject: [DDN] admin: thoughts on changing policy re: html messages
Hi everyone,
In recent months we've had some problems with getting list members' messages to the list because of the increasing number of messages in HTML. Historically, we haven't allowed HTML messages on the list because of bandwidth limits of some users (an html message contains more than twice the amount of data of a plain text message). Now, though, more than half of the messages that people try to post to the list come in HTML, including from developing countries. Because our list software, Mailman, cannot automatically strip out HTML, it rejects these messages if I try to post them. This means that I have to email the author and ask them to repost in plain text, which they don't always do. So many messages are not getting posted simply because they're submitted in HTML.
So I'd like to ask for comments from list members about a proposed rule change regarding HTML messages. The rule change would allow people to post in HTML, but still not allow attachments, which we block for virus and bandwidth concerns. Plain text, of course, will still be encouraged, but members wouldn't be penalized if they didn't comply.
Please let me know what you think. If there's general consensus that posting in HTML is acceptable to the group, I'll make the rule change in the FAQ.
thanks, ac
-- ----------------------------------- Andy Carvin Program Director EDC Center for Media & Community acarvin @ edc . org http://www.digitaldivide.net http://www.tsunami-info.org Blog: http://www.andycarvin.com ----------------------------------- _______________________________________________ DIGITALDIVIDE mailing list [email protected] http://mailman.edc.org/mailman/listinfo/digitaldivide To unsubscribe, send a message to [EMAIL PROTECTED] with the word UNSUBSCRIBE in the body of the message.
