Re: C.Dewick has a dummy spit! (was: do NOT, EVER, post messages containing HTML (was: "City Rail Security Guards"))

[craigd@lios.apana.org.au (C. Dewick)]

In <Ki6o3.11$FP6.292883@news0.optus.net.au> "WhaleOilBeefHooked" <daproc@spambait.umpires.com> writes:

>First of all, let me say that I do not post in HTML. I occasionally reply in
>HTML, but only when the original is in HTML.

>C. Dewick wrote in message <7nqg9a$1tv$1@lios.apana.org.au>...

>>And the second half of it was a repeat of the first half, but in damn HTML!
>>grrrr.. It's about time I reminded everyone about *NOT* posting messages
>>with HTML content in newsgroups...

>And who appointed you guardian of this newsgroup?

Since I was one of the original people who proposed and managed the creation
of this newsgroup about 7 years ago, I'd say that I'm entitled to at least
voice an opinion which many other people in many newsgroups (including this
one) have about HTML postings in text-based newsgroups. It's not quite as
bad as posting binary image files to this group, but about half-way along
the annoyance scale.

>>Most of us don't look kindly on people who post messages to this newsgroup
>>when the whole message is *repeated at the end* in bloody HTML! Do NOT EVER
>>post news articles containing copies of the text in HTML please.

>Gonna make us?

Of course I can't make you.. silly. But common-sense would tell you that
posting HTML in a text-based medium is not going to make you a very
well-regarded person in that medium.

>>It makes messages twice as large, harder to read, and very annoying to the
>>majority of people who read news using text-based newsreaders. HTML makes
>>normal text impossible to read...

>So they should update. This is 1999 after all, and there are plenty of
>newsreaders, available for free, which can read HTML. Why should some
>posters be restricted from using the full capabilities available to them
>purely and simply because some people prefer programs which are less
>capable.

Very true, but news is a text-based medium, and that's one of the reasons
that newsgroups are the second-most popular type of service on the internet
after email.

>>If you want to post to newsgroups, which are a *text-based* medium, do
>*NOT*

>It is only a "test-based medium" because Usenet evolved at a time when that
>was the norm. At the time, the whole of the internet was text-based. The web
>evolved into a graphical medium, there is no reason why Usenet cannot evolve
>into one as well (well, there is a reason, the pigheadedness of some of its
>users).

8-) You're right with your first comment, and I've never tried to say you're
not. But, news itself is so universally accessible because of the test-based
nature. Also, HTML and images consume *enormous* ammounts of storage space,
bandwidth, etc. and that is another advantage for pure text-based news -
none of that resource hogging exists.

>>post messages containing copies of the actual text appended at the end in
>>HTML. Most of us will ignore any HTML content.

>So ignore it, and stop subjecting us to your tirades.

I've only mentioned it once, so it's hardly a tirade.

>>Related to this, either configure your software properly so it doesn't
>>include HTML in news articles, or get different software which works
>>properly and doesn't irritate us with stuff we can't read outside of a
>>web-browser's news reading window.

>Why not get a newsreader that can handle HTML?

Wht should I? The most popular news program - NN - is text-based. PINE, the
most-popular application that integrates email and news access into one is
also primarily text-based. And the important thing about those two
applications is that they are *not* bloatware, unlike web browsers which
have news facilities tacked on as an afterthought.

Most people who read news don't want to see HTML - I'm sure if you did a
survey in most newsgroups (apart from the alt.binaries.* groups, etc.) you'd
find a large majority would object to HTML and binary postings.

There is no reason why messages should contain two version of the text - one
in plain text and a copy of the same in HTML - all in the one message!
That's plain silly, and is a sign of software which is ill-designed,
because regardless of which type of application displays it, either the HTML
version or the text version is ignored, and that's wasting resources.

Just something to consider.. Common-sense really.

Regards,

Craig.
-- 
            Craig Ian Dewick            |       Stand clear - jaws closing
 Send email to craigd@lios.apana.org.au |  Visit my Australian rail transport
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