RE: [Leica] learn to post your message

[Alan Ball <AlanBall@csi.com>]

Doug,
OTOH, imagine I did not stick your mail hereunder, how would anyone guess 
what I am writing about right now ? This list is not threaded, if I delete 
a post that seemed not to be worthwhile because of its subject line for 
example, how can I follow subsequent evolutions of an argument without a 
REASONABLE AMOUNT of the original text(s) in the replies ????

I'd argue against you that quite a few posters do not leave enough of the 
original posts, and therefore all too often seem to argue with non existent 
entities, when you catch the thread en route. The only real problem comes 
from digest users hitting the 'reply with original text' button and/or 
forgetting to change the subject line.

I might also suggest it is more efficient to answer ABOVE the original 
text(s) rather than under them, as to permit the usage of the preview 
window of most mail clients.

It also helps if the poster 'slices' his opinions in multiple paragraphs, 
well separated, making it easier for others to answer to a specific point 
of the argument, and making that point more visible to the other readers.

Lastly, it certainly helps to make the effort of mentionning the name of 
the original poster when answering to a post, rather than an anonymous 'you 
wrote' that makes it really difficult to trace the logic of arguments. 
Especially helpful as some posters seem very keen on systematically 
changing the subject line when answering. Reconstructing threads in those 
conditions can become a nightmare !

Alan

On jeudi 25 mars 1999 10:40, Doug McLernon [SMTP:dhwsmc@tinet.ie] wrote:
> My regular almost quarterly rant to new members -- Please, try using the
> copy function on your mail program to give a BRIEF sample of what you are
> responding to on the LUG - not the whole message. Please also ensure that
> your package is
> not set to "include message in reply" (check the send function in your
> options package and make sure the box isn't ticked). I'm tired of endless
> protesters and defenders of an original poster who repeat  the same 
message
> ad-nausea with some insightful remark like " I agree".