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Nristen's (g)log
2021-10-19
I am sure some remember the debates over email formatting etiquette. Some of the options were Bottom Posting, Inline Response or Top Posting.
This morning I was skimming through the Gemini mailing list and happened to glance at one message that included several replies. Each consecutive reply was "bottom posted" so it was very easy for me to quickly read the message from top to bottom and understand the flow of conversation.
Screenshot of Gemini Mailing list message:
gemini://gemini.ctrl-c.club/~nristen/images/gem-mail-list.png
for those curious, this screen shot was taken the web interface to my citadel mail server.
I don't remember myself, but I have heard some arguments that Top Posting wasn't really a thing until Microsoft mail came along. I know at work, where we are required to use MS Outlook if I get added to an email thread, it is very hard to sort through the converation flow. With all of the use of images, graphical signatures, etc it is even hard to try to utilize "bottom posting" I know that this is an argument for using only plain text email.
I used to be on a team that provided computer support through email. We were trained that we needed to address or respond to each item mentioned in the message and that each reply was considered a legal document so we had to be very careful what we wrote. Our standard proceedure was to reply Inline if the response was one line or less and add longer replies to the bottom the the reply email. This was about 20 years ago though.
I enjoyed reading through the Wikipedia post, "Posting Style"
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Posting_style
There are references at the bottom of the article about this debate which brought back a lot of memories of when I first got connected to the Internet in the late 80s and early 90s.
I am a fan of Bottom Posting however, I also realize that in order for this method to really be benefit, everyone participating in the thread needs to
use the same formatting.
Actually, I first remember seeing discussion of message formatting from BBS message boards since I was on them several years before getting access to Internet email.
gemini://station.martinrue.com/nristen/21466fafaeeb46d4b28243ab86b49b82
Citadel mail server:
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