[ubuntu-uk] Top Posting

[alan c]

On 23/11/11 09:45, Jon Reynolds wrote:
> I totally agree with and understand the logic behind the top posting
> argument. It makes perfect sense to have the flow of conversation
> chronologically downwards, so reading over a conversation is easy.
> 
> But, as we all know, hardly anyone, except for mostly (can't back this up)
> computer nerds (in the most non-offensive way - I am one of course),
> actually practice it.
> 
> Emails exchanged with anyone outside of computer mailing lists (in my
> experience) always follow a top-post method. I can understand why people
> do it, as they want the latest most recent answe

On public lists, most specifically technical lists and ones which are
expected to contain details stuff, and probably in line comments, then
I use conventional bottom posting. In line comments are valuable and
bottom posting very suitable  for various contributors to dip in and
out of the thread efficiently.

However, in personal emails, I usually use top posting. Even when I
worked at a major utility company in a technical but non IT capacity,
the practice was top posting, and anything needed specifically was
pasted in separately. Earlier emails in the exchange were even
sometimes held below out of the way, a bit like attachments. This
always meant that even with some very lengthy threads (eg contract
stuff), then only the most recent message was offered for immediate
attention. In such threads, invariably with only one recipient and not
in a multiple-reader forum where many people are intended to dip in
and out of the thread, the recipient is familiar enough with the
earlier content.
-- 
alan cocks
Ubuntu user