Consider Posting Replies to the TOP!

[Zone]

It creates an awful lot of scrolling when folks reply to posts at the bottom
of the message. Please consider posting replies to the TOP! It's really
easier and eliminates all that scrolling. I mention this because constantly
scrolling down is really laborious for those of us using newsreaders like
Outlook Express, and people may not realize that it's such a hassle.

 

[JE McGimpsey]

It creates an awful lot of scrolling when folks reply to posts at the bottom
of the message. Please consider posting replies to the TOP! It's really
easier and eliminates all that scrolling. I mention this because constantly
scrolling down is really laborious for those of us using newsreaders like
Outlook Express, and people may not realize that it's such a hassle.

So because you use a god-awful newsreader, the rest of us should
top-post? That's rather arrogant of you, don't you think?

Why not get a moderately adequate newsreader instead?

<g>

 

[Zone]

Maybe so, JE. Top-posting is much easier for OE users, and for Google
users, as well. I hadn't considered that on other newsreaders it may be
less easy or irrelevant. I wanted to get comments, and you certainly gave
me one! James

 

[Jim Cone]

I posted something similar to your remarks in the
....public.scripting.vbscript newsgroup some time ago.
I almost didn't get out alive. <g>
My summary of the comments received is: "We've always done it that way."
--
Jim Cone
San Francisco, USA
http://www.realezsites.com/bus/primitivesoftware
(Excel Add-ins / Excel Programming)


"Zone" <[email protected]>
wrote in message
It creates an awful lot of scrolling when folks reply to posts at the bottom
of the message. Please consider posting replies to the TOP! It's really
easier and eliminates all that scrolling. I mention this because constantly
scrolling down is really laborious for those of us using newsreaders like
Outlook Express, and people may not realize that it's such a hassle.

 

[Rick Rothstein \(MVP - VB\)]

It creates an awful lot of scrolling when folks reply to posts at the

bottom of the message. Please consider posting replies to the TOP! It's
really easier and eliminates all that scrolling. I mention this because
constantly scrolling down is really laborious for those of us using
newsreaders like Outlook Express, and people may not realize that it's
such a hassle.

One argument in favor of bottom-posting is it makes for a more logical and
easier read in the Google archives long after the thread is dead. However,
one habit that everyone should get into is removing those parts of the
original text that have nothing to do with the answer being provided. That
way, an archive reader won't have to spend 5 minutes reading everything in a
response only to find out the answer deals with the last sentence only.

Rick

 

[Harlan Grove]

...
....

However, one habit that everyone should get into is removing those
parts of the original text that have nothing to do with the answer
being provided. That way, an archive reader won't have to spend 5
minutes reading everything in a response only to find out the
answer deals with the last sentence only.

A consideration to others almost always honored in the breach by top
posters.

 

[Guest]

Makes no difference to me, James, I don't understand half of it anyhow.

 

[Dallman Ross]

One argument in favor of bottom-posting is it makes for a more
logical and easier read [. . . .]

Amen.

My favorite FAQ/read about this:
http://www.freebsd.org/doc/en_US.ISO8859-1/articles/mailing-list-faq/article.html#2.4
or
http://freebsd-posting-faq.notlong.com

Which page contains:

* A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
* Q: Why is top posting frowned upon?

(Thanks to Randy Bush for the joke.)

Also good:
http://www.html-faq.com/etiquette/?toppost

Reposting (with quoting) an entire long article with all extraneous
comments and .sigs, etc., and then adding a "Thanks -- it worked!"
to the end is not any better, however. Good communication has
always required, I'm afraid, at least a modicum of effort or at
least thought on the part of the writer.

To those who say "we've always done it this way!" I have to laugh
at the historical revisionism. I don't mean to insult anybody.
I know this is a hot button. But how long have you been posting
to Usenet? Do you know what it's like to use a decent newsreader
and text editor? This is like your teenager wondering that
Paul McCartney was ever in a band before Wings.

This teenage habit of posting began with the onset of Perpetual
September.[1] I'll grant you that top-posting was essentially
invented by Microsoft. (The newsreading software is predisposed to
do it.) I'll acknowledge further that this is a Microsoft group.
Still, that doesn't mean the habit either makes sense or is worth
keeping.

I hope to heck I'm not sealing my fate here insofar as
limiting future answers to my Excel questions. I am glad
these groups are here. I like Excel. I own a lot of Microsoft
stock, even! (I bought it twenty years ago this month.)
I respect a lot of the people I've come to know a bit about
from reading this group. I am thankful for your generosity
of time and knowledge. I have had questions and will continue
to have them; I've gotten some great help here, and don't want
it to dry up. I can like some of you even if I don't admire
your chosen habit of top-posting, is all.

[1] http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Eternal_September

=dman=

 

[Bill Renaud]

Better yet, do not include the original message when posting a reply.
This saves a lot of space and is faster during future downloads of
messages. It is now the default practice that I use. I will copy only a
small portion of the original text and include it at the top of my reply
inside of double brackets ("<<" and ">>") only when necessary for
clarification. Using a newsreader allows one to read all of the posts in
threaded fashion anyway, so you can easily see the original question
along with the chronological chain of replies.

I have gone back to using OE, since Google has decided not to respect
e-mail address privacy.