I find that both methods have their uses. Top posting can let you respond
to the whole thought more readily, without leaving newcomers to the
discussion completely out of the loop. Interlineated posting (bottom
posting) lets you respond point-for-point, something that is particularly
useful in multi-topic messages such as meeting minutes. Either kind of
response requires judicious editing on the part of the respondant. Such
editing can be finicky and time-consuming, characteristics that are not
congenial to the shoot-from-the-hip nature of email lists. The far extreme
seems to be lack of quoting of any sort; this leaves even the direct
participants in the thread sometimes at a loss as to what a given posting
refers to.
There seems to be a mix of early experience, available technology, and
contemporary culture influencing the methods of response here. I would
suggest that the guidelines, coupled with both more tolerance on the part
of readers and more attention to detail on the part of respondants, will be
the way to address the issue.
Thanks for providing the guidelines, Listmom. Hope your end-of-month
holiday leaves you refressed.
Sp00ky
On Wed, 13 Nov 2002 at 18:43:52 -0500, Dan Knight observed:
>One of my pet peeves -- and something a lot of you have probably received
>a note about -- is people who quote the entire original message right
>down through the footer. The header. The ads. Everything.
[...snip...]
>After reading it all, I did some statistical analysis, put down my foot,
>and created a new rule for the lists. Well, guideline, if you want to be
>precise.
[...snip...]
>--> Our Guidelines
>
>Bottom posting is not only the oldest established method of replying on
>the Internet, it is also the most logical. It demonstrates that the
>sender is in a dialogue. It makes it easy for new subscribers to follow
>the conversation. It's just logical.
>
>Because of this, we recommend bottom posting as the normal way of
>replying on our lists.
>
>This should also eliminate most of the problems with excessive quoting.
>
>However, we are not passing a hard and fast rule against top posting.
[...snip...]
>
>Of course, that's not the kind of discussion we see within a list. On a
>list, top posting should be the exception, not the rule. Something like
>"this is a bunch of bunk" or "the nanny declares this thread DEAD" are
>appropriate as top posts; most replies are not.
>
>Remember that this is a guideline. We won't kick you off the list for not
>following it, but we believe bottom posting is the better way.
>
>Dan the listmom
Sp00ky
--
Spiritus ex Machina
No matter how paranoid you are, it isn't paranoid enough.
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