[HPFGU-Feedback] Well to be perfectly honest

[Shaun Hately]

On 23 Nov 2003 at 3:07, whizbang wrote:

> If bringing the group into the 21st century and inviting younger 
> members means moving the group and allowing html, then I think it 
> should be seriously considered.  This is intended constructively, so 
> please don't take it badly, but currently, the group is arhcaic and 
> consequently chaotic and unfriendly to those who haven't been on the 
> internet since Bill Gates was in diapers, but are still old enough 
> to vote.

Why is it archaic? Because it assumes people should use basic text, or do you 
have something else in mind.
 
> If the internet standard is "old fashioned" then the implication 
> must be considered as well.  Evolution can be good.

Yes, it can be - but the issue is, until there is a standard *every* e-mail program 
does html differently. Messages that are sent using Netscape may be totally 
unviewable on Outlook. Those sent by Incredimal may look like garbage on 
Pegasus.

Unless you can ensure everybody is using the same e-mail program, allowing 
HTML mail simply creates incompatibilities.

The e-mail standard will eventually be revised to ensure compatibility (or at least 
to give programmers something to aim at). Until it does, you really cannot run 
large mailing lists where html is standard use - unless you limit html to such an 
extent that people may as well be using plain text anyway.





Yours Without Wax, Dreadnought
Shaun Hately | www.alphalink.com.au/~drednort/thelab.html
(ISTJ)       | drednort at ... | ICQ: 6898200 
"You know the very powerful and the very stupid have one
thing in common. They don't alter their views to fit the 
facts. They alter the facts to fit the views. Which can be 
uncomfortable if you happen to be one of the facts that 
need altering." The Doctor - Doctor Who: The Face of Evil
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