Why do people detest top posting so much?

[Bart Silverstrim]

Thomas Wolf wrote:
> Bart et al,
> 
> On 02/23/2009 10:54 AM, Bart Silverstrim wrote:
>> ...
>> Well...while I would remind people that many believe extremists should
>> be shot, the "telling" part is more or less noticing a potential
>> trend...I'm just pointing out that there is a potentially valid
>> observation mixed in with the pointed jab, that's all.
>>    
> Making insulting jabs/generalizations on the basis of just 2 data points 
> serves no purpose other than to upset people.  What exactly can Derek 
> "tell" about me based on the fact that I posted in HTML?  

C'mon thomas...calm down with me a little, okay? I'm pointing out a 
rational point. While you can't draw a definitive conclusion from the 
observation, he was observing that people who were "pro top posting" 
were also using HTML mail. What conclusion people draw from that was 
implication...provocative, yes, but still not worth having a wiener war 
on the forums over.

Derek's abrasive, but he's a frequent contributor on the list.

>Same thing 
> with Noberto's remark about people "from Outlook" feeling top-posting is 
> better 

This was observed before. Outlook defaulted to both HTML mail messages 
(and vulnerabilities since it used IE's rendering engine) and also 
defaulted for *top posting*. Lazy posters didn't edit the postings or 
trim them, just hit "reply" and start typing. Outlook was a defacto 
standard in businesses so..boingo...Outlooker's tended to be top 
posters. Netscape's earlier clients had settings for posting at the 
bottom by default.

>and, even sillier, that "...they think Windows is better than 
> Linux..."  These guys are able to discern *so much* just from the fact 
> that someone top-posts or someone forgets to suppress HTML generation.  
> I'm surprised not to see them on Geraldo making prognostications for a 
> living!

Tell it to grocery stores. Or any retailer. Or advertiser. They use 
statistics and trends to get you to buy more and influence your opinion. 
You can argue against it all you want but it's a known effect.

> It's attitudes like this that turn some people off Linux.  

Enthusiasts aren't turned off by this any more than the average (and 
majority) user of Windows truly loves the OS. They're largely unaware of it.

If any geek or power user can't stand using the forums they'll either 
find another route or move on to the next thing to grab their interest. 
Not really worth losing sleep over. It's like saying people won't drive 
anymore because of the a-holes cutting them off and driving recklessly.

> For the record, I'm not a Windows user.  I've used UNIX/Solaris for more 
> than 30 years.  In the  old usenet days, people preferred bottom-posting 
> and the newsgroup readers automatically put you in the editor at the end 
> of the message.  Not much thinking required.  I don't remember anyone 
> ever making a big stink when someone did top-post, though.

*shrug* this ties to the point about Outlook earlier.

> Then I come to this mailing list to ask a question about my Ubuntu 8.10 
> X server dying (yes, I'm somewhat of a newbie with respect to Linux) 
> and, instead of getting answers, I get slammed for top-posting and, for 
> good measure, for posting in HTML.  

I don't know if you were slammed for it...I didn't see it...but I have 
often seen people put in a terse note not to do it in the future. Asking 
for more info on it no doubt sparked more, though, because if you look 
in the list, it's a CONSTANT problem. People get tired of having to 
reiterate it all the time so it is a sensitive topic when someone stirs 
the next again. I realize since you're new here that it's a new 
experience for you but trust me...it's something that periodically comes 
up here.

> I don't need this.  I'll let younger people ask their questions on this 
> mailing list and take their lumps.  I'll just google for potential 
> answers.  If I don't find them, I'll just file a bug.
> 
> So long and thanks for all the fish.

Bah. You'll look back and calm down and decide it really wasn't that 
bad. You just happened to rub a raw wound on the lists. There are plenty 
here that will still help or try to help you, they're just asking for 
you to post according to the local rules. I wouldn't be surprised if 
NoOp even emailed you privately. I honestly don't know when that guy sleeps.

I'd ask that you just give it another chance, maybe lurk a bit and get a 
feel for the place. If you decide not to participate fine and dandy. But 
I think you just got a rocky intro. Don't let the one bad experience 
turn you off to it when there are plenty of good people here willing to 
assist still.