Victor Rangel Ribeiro wrote: > While I appreciate your helpful advice, Bosco and Gabe, both of you > have sidestepped the question I posed:
Different mailing lists run on diverse mailing-list manager softwares. See a list of the variety involved at http://www.google.co.in/search?hl=en&q=mailing-list+managers&btnG=Google +Search&meta= > I belong to other groups, SASIALIT (South Asian Literature) and > Africa-Orientalia among them. Some of my emails to them are > exceptionally long, running to two pages sometimes, because of the > nature of the topics being discussed; I do not send them in Plain Text These are two separate issues. Goanet too carried long pieces. All we say is when you're citing an already-posted message, please trim it down to the minimum. Regarding the use of plain-text format, this is a requirement because of the proportionately large ratio of 'digest' version subscribers on Goanet. Many opt for the 'digest' version, because the load of postings can, itself, be heavy. As noted above, different mailing-list managers handle their mail differently. Yahoogroups manages some of these issues. But then, Yahoogroups has restrictions on what it allows you to do (say, how many subscribers you can add each day to your list), or how you access and download your archives, etc. Hence, we request all Goanetters to follow certain protocols, that would make life easier for all of us. Please be assured that we keep continually looking at various solutions, software upgrades, etc within the constraints we work. Incidentally, messages not in plain-text format are often painstakingly re-formatted (by Bosco). It does mean a delay in your post going through, and extra work for the volunteers -- and hence our request to post in plain text. We have had other problems with AOL subscribers not getting their Goanet mail too, at some other time. You can't win 'em all! PS: Here's a tip-sheet on how to send AOL mail via plain text http://www.frontierfleet.net/email/howto.php?prog=aol (both for AOL 5.0 and earlier, and for AOL 6.0). Cecil Pinto wrote: > These matters are basically decided by Fred, who is an ardent devotee > of the Open Source Software line of thinking. Cecil's statement is based on a lack of knowledge. The first part of the statement is untrue. Even before I was on the scene, a number of mailing-list managers have opted for Free Software, because these tend to be both reasonably priced and stable, compared to their proprietorial counterparts. Old-timers on the list would recall the use of Majordomo. Secondly, I consider myself to be a supporter of Free Software, not Open Source. Free as in freedom, not free beer. For details and clarification read http://www.gnu.org/philosophy/free-software-for-freedom.html > There are thousands of Yahoo Groups (and other groups) which allow > only plain text, but 'formatted' text posted there is automatically > stripped of all formatting and appears as plain text. Yahoogroups works okay for smaller groups. But not when there's a heavy load, going to many readers, and the limited space quota can run out in no time. We have explored these avenues in the past. Incidentally, HTML was created for web-pages... not email. Why overload the system with fancy fonts? If you think this is just a personal view, please read http://www.frontierfleet.net/email/ QUOTE: HTML is for web pages. Email is a text communication, a message meant to be read, not an artwork.It all boils down to whether you are interested in every recipient being able to read what you write. UNQUOTE Goanet needs volunteer-time and money (go to www.goanet.org and click on Paypal... so far only a handful have come forward, and we're grateful to them!) to keep its work going. Rather than criticism and suspicion, almost at every single turn of the road. FN
