Top-posting shenanigans (was: Re: ASR33 $1000+ And Counting...)

From: Computer Collector Newsletter <news_at_computercollector.com>
Date: Thu Feb 24 19:26:40 2005

>>>>> The biggest is all the LUsers using MS Lookout

I assume you mean "Outlook" but that you somehow think you're cool for the
ridiculous misspelling.

Anyway, consider most users in the real world have no choice. You get a job,
work in your cubicle, and use Outlook whether you like it or not.

I've said it before: I'm by no means a Microsoft fan. But the world's
self-proclaimed power users need to understand that it's 2005 and computer
aren't just for them anymore. That doesn't mean real standards should be
thrown away, just that we need to start adapting to the world that's evolved,
not stubbornly demand that everyone be like us. Pioneers in the 60s and 70s
dreamt of computers for the people, but even today's open-source advocates seem
to believe that "computers are for the people, as long as they people follow
our terms".

--- "Zane H. Healy" <healyzh_at_aracnet.com> wrote:

> Jules wrote
> > On Thu, 2005-02-24 at 12:49 -0600, David H. Barr wrote:
> >
> > > The REAL One and Only Way is, of course, interleaved posting. I mean
> > > you paste in the original statement or question, respond to that, then
> > > paste in the next bit. Of course that takes TIME....
> >
> > That's just a specialised form of bottom-posting though :-)
>
> Personally I think of it and bottom posting as one in the same :^)
>
> > IME *typically* the people who top-post come from an environment where
> > they've only ever used Outlook as their email client. I'm not sure why
> > that link exists, but it's been my observation.
>
> It's simple, it's because MS exhibits their typical arrogance and makes it
> difficult for users of their trash to conform to standards. This is one of
> the reasons why at work email from my MS Lookout account gets sucked over to
> my Unix account. I primarily use MS Lookout for email that has been so
> corrupted by MS Software that it is unreadable in 'elm'.
>
> > Correct-posting arguments seem a lot more common than they used to be
> > though. I do remember the odd top-poster in usenet and mailing lists ten
> > years ago but it was a very rare occurence.
>
> A couple reasons for this. The biggest is all the LUsers using MS Lookout,
> and MS Lookout Express, and also because it's no longer painful for them
> when you hit their mailbox with the applicable RFC's and documents on
> Netiquette :^)
>
> On most mailing lists you can't really expect the people to know how to post
> in the appropriate manner as most can barely use a computer, but one would
> think that the people on this list are computer literate. It just goes to
> prove what I'm saying for years, that is that people should be required
> to get a License before they buy a computer, and connect it to the Internet.
>
> Zane
>
> PS does anyone know how on earth to get MS Lookout to default to a proper
> replying behavior rather than its top-posting nonsense?
>
>


=====
Evan's personal homepage: www.snarc.net

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Received on Thu Feb 24 2005 - 19:26:40 GMT

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