At 05:51 PM 2/21/99 -0800, Das Devaraj wrote:
[snip]
Shouldn't newbies be allowed to quote
>a whole 10K msg and add the sole thoughtful comment "I agree" and
>post to the whole list? Won't it be at least bearable, if each of
>those zillion messages are nicely formatted with different colors,
>fonts and blinking?
Nancy answers:
Emphatically, NO! This wastes everybody's time and bandwidth. Moreover, I
have subscribers in Europe who have to pay local phone charges whenever
they connect to the internet, so it costs them several ways. It's just not
considerate of all users to post this way. How difficult can it be, after
all, to take mouse in hand, highlight what's extraneous to the point to
which you are replying, and dellete it?
Das continues
>My point is that many newbies cut their teeth by doing things
>that irk the pros. They gradually (hopefully) grasp the "concept"
>of a mailing list and then may contribute to the list.
Nancy replies:
I and some computer-savvy subscribers have helped the newbies along by
compiling some general instructions, of which I have several versions that
get posted about once a month, as well as being sent to new subscribers.
We get along pretty well now, without too much repetition. One reader
contribution was the use of clear identifiers of who says what, such as
"Nancy replies" above, and also addressing posts to a particular individual
-- an open letter. The latter particularly has helped sharpen the writing.
of the e-mails.
Back to Das:
The current
>HTML may be unduly complex for email use, but if a meaningful
>subset is agreed to (is there an RFC already?), vendors may implement
>that. Many newbies genuinely do not understand what they are doing
>when they send an email. If there is a happy compromise (or even a
>workable one) that list-admins and graphics happy users can come
>to, it may be a step in the right direction.
Nancy:
It looks to me as if the next generation or two of word processors will not
only have HTML aliases but will have direct e-mail capabilities also. This
may offer the standard such as you speak of.
Since I started do e-mail about three years ago, I have written more than I
did in the prior 10 years put together. Time and space constraints have
forced me to think ahead in my writing get it right on the first draft, and
make it concise. But I knew how to write before that I've been a freelance
writer, editor, and profreader, and also have taught English composition.
I know that people can learn these skills, but mark-eting emphasis on
pretty visuals at the expense of fundamental writing and reading is
deterring rather than enhancing real communication.
With that impossibly pontifical salvo, I say good night, and thank you for
all your helpful replies to my earlier question.
Sincerely,
Nancy Charlton
[EMAIL PROTECTED]
