On Sunday 07 March 2004 12:07 pm, Steven T. Hatton wrote:
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I haven't been following any of the top post vs. correct post arguments. But since it has been so blatantly addressed, I will add my observations on the matter.
1) Traditional Internet etiquette is that, under normal circumstances, the new content of an e-mail message follows the quoted content. Indeed, some will refer you to RFC 1855. RFC 1855 says "This memo does not specify an Internet standard of any kind."
Something being a tradition does not mean that it is the only acceptable way to do something
2) That's the way we do it here. To come to a mailing list and disregard the established norms is rude. It is the way most do it. Harmut makes the case for it quite logically. But I cannot see that it is an established norm, nor that it is rude to do differently. That would be the Country Club approach. I would say it is rude to rebuke someone on the basis that 'it is an accepted norm here' when it is really only an expression of the individual's preference, which he is quite entitled to have and to express, but only as a preference and not as a norm.
3) Top-posting is an extremely Microsoftish form of behavior. Commercial chicanery, illegal monopoly, creation of technical obstacles for commercial benefit were the behaviours I associated with Microsoft. I did not know that they were in the big boys league, doing top posting as well. Send in the Feds. Get our top-posters to stop at illegal monopoly while you are about it - its safer.
Vince