[Tfug] top/bottom and middle posting

[Robert Hunter]

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Claude, 

I agree that selective quoting is frequently an effective and concise
mechanism for providing context in a discussion.  It is true, also,
that alternatives to quoting, such as repeating, or summarizing a
point to which you intend to respond, may sometimes seem awkward.
However, I wonder: how much of that awkwardness is the result of a
writing style that has fallen into disuse?

For example, how many of us remember the days of pre-electronic
correspondence, when we used to write "letters"?  No, no, I don't mean
the sort of letters that were written by light of candle with quill
and parchment -- I'd be surprised if anyone here was that old,
except maybe Don. ;-)  But certainly there are people on this list who
remember writing a page or two of composition, sealing it in a
stamped envelope, and mailing it off, yes?  For those of you who belong to
this aging group of humanoids, please answer the following question:
on average, how many block quotes did you use in your hand-crafted
letters of those days gone by?  My guess is very few.

OK, things are different now. In less than twenty years, computers and
networks have fundamentally changed how we communicate.  Participating
in social networks and interest groups is almost as easy as calling
someone on the telephone.  Almost, I say, because in addition to the
technical skills needed to operate a computer, there are a host of
conventions and protocols that you are expected to follow, which are
collectively referred to as "netiquette".

While much of the scope of netiquette belongs to the "act like a
civilized human" category, there are a number of conventions that stem
from technical origins.  There may exist perfectly good reasons for
these conventions, but I think it is important to remember that
because they originate from technical requirements, that they are
subject to obsolescence if and when a better technical solution comes
along.

I believe that the default behavior of mail clients to use block
quotes in a reply is an example of a technical requirement that is, or
at least should be obsolete.  I.e., most of the technical reasons
given for using block-quotes are practically useless.  That is not to
say that block-quoting is entirely wrong, just that it should not be a
default.

PS.  Glen, your Blackberry doesn't provide In-Reply-To.  Get your
money back!

- --
RH

















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