Message formatting; was Re: [plug] Unix

[Bret Busby]

Mike Holland wrote:
> 
> Dang! How can I write a reply when i can only see the first line of each
> paragraph? (time to ditch pine?)
>    Please keep your e-mail to < 80 columns. Also, please avoid
> HTML as it adds nothing and not all mailers accept it. I know it would be
> easier if everybody used the same mailer (Outlook?) but you're with Linux
> weirdos now.
> 
> [ I use pine. Do other mailers break up lines before quoting them in
> replies? ]
> 

<snip>

I use Netscape Messenger, from various versions (Communicator 4.08,
4.61, and 4.7), depending on which OS I am using, at the time.

In each case, I just get lines going on and on, and on, and on, to the
right, and have to keep scrolling horizontally, to the right. It is more
than a little annoying, so I just figure that whoever sends emails like
that, doesn't want me to read what is to the right of the visible
screen, and, I respect their wishes, and usuallly do not read it.

The HTML emails, because of the way my fonts are set up, for web page
viewing, come in virtually unreadable, due to the font size, so I apply
the same rule as to the line wrapping. I understood that it is accepted
that emails should be sent using plain text, and only sending HTML
emails to people that you do not like, to irritate them.

I am sure that the issues mentioned, both not using HTML in emails, and,
using an 80 column or less, line wrap, have been raised many times in
the past, on this mailing list.

-- 

Bret Busby

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