Re: HTML: woes

Geoff Smith (geoffs@unixg.ubc.ca)
Wed, 11 Mar 1998 14:38:50 -0800


----------
> From: Laws, David <lawsd@magic.dcrt.nih.gov>
> To: 'extropians@extropy.com'
> Subject: RE: HTML: woes
> Date: Wednesday, March 11, 1998 1:20 PM
> While I personally do fine HTML a poor excuse for e-mail format it is
> completely within the standards of MIME (which, btw...IS a standard.
> Multipurpose Internet Mail Extensions. It allows for such things as
> sending graphics and audio as attachments to e-mail, as well as WORD
> documents or HTML files). Either Netscape 4.04 or OutLook Express can
> read POP, IMAP, HTML, you name it. There is no excuse for anyone not
> being able to read an HTML formatted file. Wrongful use of bandwidth
> perhaps.
>
> Anyone proud of NOT using a decent mail reader has no sympathy from me
> and gives rise to the veracity of their claim to be on a forward
> thinking optimistic list.

What you may not realize is that many universities (and libraries that are
linked to a freenet) provide e-mail services to their students only through
terminals that are locked into running PINE. PINE cannot read HTML, so one
gets a messages that says there is an attachment in HTML that cannot be
read. MIME, yes. Readable, no. I would think there are a fair number of
students on this list who cannot afford to get an additional internet
account, so, my message to everyone: use plain text if you want everyone on
the list to read your message.

Geoff.