[CentOS] OT: Top Posting

Sat May 17 00:55:25 UTC 2008
Matt Shields <mattboston at gmail.com>

On Fri, May 16, 2008 at 8:14 PM, Karanbir Singh <mail-lists at karan.org> wrote:
> Hi,
>
> Carol Anne Ogdin wrote:
>> Dear Mr. Singh:
>>
>> I understand you prefer this medium.  I have practical experience with
>> alternatives that have offered measurable and definite benefits to the
>> communities they serve.
>
> Which is quite fair, and the point I was making as well. However, the
> poit I was also making ( and have now repeated about 4 times ) is-  this
> is the lists not the forums. We have some guidelines and the moderaters
> will make an effort to implement them.
>
>> Your opinions are louder than your putative experience.  Unfortunately, in
>> 51 years in the computer industry, I've sometimes had to cope with behaviors
>> like yours.  It still makes me sad to experience such unhappy people who
>> think that attack is the best way to enrich a collaboration.
>
> ok, so you are > 51 years old. Which was good to know. I'll respect you
> for your age. Apart from that you've made no real contribution to the
> conversation here.

I think the thing that's annoying about top posting is explained with
this example (grabbed from a Boston Linux & Unix Group signature).
I'll have to admit when I'm not thinking about it, there have been a
few times where I've top posted (bad habit from the corporate world),
but if people would take 5 minutes to read a complete thread backwards
with comments inserted in between other comments, it gets very
confusing.  Bottom posting or posting in between comments makes sense.


A: Yes.
> Q: Are you sure?
>> A: Because it reverses the logical flow of conversation.
>>> Q: Why is top posting annoying in email?


-- 
-matt