On the evils of Top Posting [Was: Re: how NOT to have "landscape" related message when log in SSH]

Erik Christiansen dvalin at internode.on.net
Wed Nov 26 10:10:52 UTC 2008


On Wed, Nov 26, 2008 at 10:00:14AM +0100, Loïc Grenié wrote:
> 
>     Those people that created the list feel that somebody reading the
>   thread afterwards will have an easier time with the in-line posting and
>   insisted on the "do not top-post" rule.
> 
>      I sincerely hope you received the help you needed and the
>   mailing-list does not feel too rigid.

Yes, the advice is, not least, a request for consideration of those
expected to help. Please consider this:

A: Because it breaks the logical sequence of the discussion.
Q: Why is top-posting such a bad thing?
A: Top-posting.
Q: What is the most annoying thing on usenet and in e-mail?

Those who help may scan|read several hundred posts per day, on a number of
lists not always in the single digits. To invite an answer to one's plea
for help, it can be profitable to make it as readable as possible.

Erik

-- 
Q: How to decide if I should clean my house or work on improving Vim?
A: Depends on which has more bugs.  - Bram Moolenaar





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