OT email response format (was Re: TTL computing)

From: Tothwolf <tothwolf_at_concentric.net>
Date: Tue Apr 16 03:12:05 2002

On Mon, 15 Apr 2002, Marvin Johnston wrote:
> On Tue, 16 Apr 2002, Hans Franke wrote:
> > On Tue, 16 Apr 2002, Glen Goodwin wrote:
> > > > From: John Foust <jfoust_at_threedee.com>
> > >
> > > > Unfortunately, I don't think Winston said anything
> > > > about the inability to format e-mail responses
> > > > in conventional style, so we're stuck. "see below, plz."
> > > > now induces an immediate "CTRL/D" from my left hand.
> > >
> > > Okay, so what is the *preferred* method of replying to classiccmp
> > > posts? Reply at top? Replay at bottom? Or, embedded comments
> > > interspersed throughout the replied-to post? I prefer the latter,
> > > more conversational style . . .
> >
> > I absolutly agree. Especialy with series of replys llike we have the
> > embedded style helps a lot. I considere the 'Top-Style' as rude.
>
> I disagree :). Too many times, a mile and a half of quoted text starts
> out the message. I don't care to take the time to scroll down, but
> prefer to see the meat of what is being said at the top.

Then I guess you will have to deal with people like myself reformatting
your emails when replying. I personally can't stand to see an email thread
with mostly proper quoting where someone replies at the top. Several email
lists I'm on have an enforced rule that email must be quoted and threaded
properly.

To date, all of the email etiquette information I've read states that a
reply should always follow the quoted text, with the authors' names at the
very top. Quotes should also be trimmed down, sometimes to just one
author's text. Any extra or unnecessary quoted text (including sigs)
should be removed to save bandwith.

> It is especially annoying when the subject line doesn't reflect the
> message content ... which is most of the time.

If the subject of a thread changes significantly, the subject line should
be modified accordingly. A modified subject line should typically include
_at least_ 1/3-1/2 of the original subject line text, prefixed by 'was',
and surrounded by parentheses. The current subject line is a good example.

-Toth
Received on Tue Apr 16 2002 - 03:12:05 BST