[ubuntu-uk] Moan -- Top Posting (was "Apps for kids")

[Rob Beard]

On 07/08/10 09:07, Joe O'Dell wrote:
>> Because top posting all the time results in people LEAVING mailing
>> lists, because they simply can't understand what's going on.   And we
>> want to be INCLUSIVE, surely?
>
> No, things like this result in people leaving mailing lists.
>
> I have never left a mailing list because of top posting, because I don't actually see a problem with it.
>
> I am off to town, so will leave you to carry on this discussion that obviously won't finish for a while.
>

I'd have to agree, as much as top posting and HTML e-mails etc can be a 
bit annoying, I'd say flame wars can put more people off.  Saying that 
I've seen flame wars on forums as well as mailing lists, I guess 
sometimes you have to be a bit thick skinned and maybe count to 10 
before replying (although I'd be the first to admit I've had a couple of 
flame wars online in my time).

I'm not sure if maybe posting a link to the mailing list guidelines 
every so often would help?

As it happens too, I have a Nokia e63 phone which I tend to use for 
e-mails.  Whenever I reply to an e-mail it defaults to top posting (but 
it does let me scroll down to the bottom of the e-mail) and I understand 
it sends the e-mail in some strange encoding, or at least that is what 
one of the guys on my local LUG mailing list told me.  Now I try and use 
Mutt instead (ssh'ing to my server and running it from there).

Can't comment on the Android phones as I've never used one (although I 
was looking at getting one next year when I upgrade my phone).

Rob