PBS response format
totototo@telus.net (Tue, 24 Aug 2010 14:51:34 PDT)
On 24 Aug 2010, at 6:38, lou jost wrote:
WHY do people nearly always include the entire past topic conversation in their
posts? This is very tedious. Couldn't people just limit their inclusion of past
conversations to the essentials?
It's not so much why can't they as why don't they?
Why? Because no one has taught them otherwise.
Another reason: while radically editing quoted material down to just the key
points being replied to is the norm in private email (including mailing lists),
in an office environment, top posting your reply above the entire message
responded to is the equivalent to paperclipping a letter at the front of a file
of correspondence. As a result, people who use email in offices have to learn
that different standards apply to private email - and there's no one to explain
this to them.
Yet another: people are lazy.
Yet another: people are stupid.
Yet another: people are inobservant and somehow overlook those replies that are
properly formatted.
Yet another: Microsoft got it wrong when they built their first email clients
and they've never bothered to correct their mistakes, so people follow their
lead.
It's akin to those who send e-messages (of any sort) with bad spelling,
incomprehensible grammar, and erratic punctuation. The recipient(s) may be able
to deduce the meaning, but there is an ineradicable impression made of someone
who is, to coin a phrase, an ignorant, uncaring twit. Those of you who blithely
hit reply and don't bother to trim out extraneous quoted matter may want to
keep in mind that you are giving a very bad impression of yourself, even if no
one takes you to task for your sins.
I wish mailing lists had a rule that moderation of new members is very strict
and that you must contribute ten messages in a row that are on-topic, use good
English, and are formatted correctly before you are no longer subject to the
beady eyed gaze of the moderator. This would cause the more sensitive violets
to stalk away in a huff, but frankly "good riddance to bad trash" would be the
emotion felt.
If readers want to do something about these issues, reply _privately_ to the
offenders pointing out the errors of their ways. Strong language is permissible.
--
Rodger Whitlock
Victoria, British Columbia, Canada