Date: Wed, 04 Nov 1998 14:49:55 -0500 From: "Steve Friedrich" <SteveFriedrich@Hot-Shot.com> To: "rick hamell" <hamellr@dsinw.com> Cc: "FreeBSD Questions" <freebsd-questions@FreeBSD.ORG> Subject: Re: RFC 822 misconceptions Message-ID: <199811041951.OAA24421@laker.net>
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On Wed, 4 Nov 1998 11:07:53 -0800 (PST), rick hamell wrote:
>
>> It appears to me that RFC822 does not preclude HTML formatting, or
>> lines longer than 72 chars. I am not suggesting that we
>> can't/shouldn't, by convention, use Greg's suggestions, just that he
>> can't use RFC822 to back up his desire.
>
>
> It's called common curtesy. Greg's suggestions are based on
>formating that all E-mail readers can read, AND still allow the recepient
>to read the message. It's one more step in helping 'us' (the Unix
>crowd,) keep Microsoft from taking over the Internet. If you wish to
>receive HTML formated E-mail, feel free to do so. I for one get 1000+
>messages a day that I read through PINE on 6 different computers. Any and
>all HTML formatted email messages get sent back with a nice header asking
>them to remove all HTML crap out of it if they wish a reply. Remeber...
>it's us against Microsoft... not us against us!
You're missing my point. I specifically stated that I am not objecting
to his desires, just his use of RFC822 to back it up. You didn't go
read his web page. And I do not subscribe to the idea that HTML
capable mail readers are a Microsuk monopoly. Didn't Netscape come up
with the idea??
I've been trying to say for a couple months that most email users will
like HTML mail and this is one battle we should avoid rather than
fight. You will lose this battle, and it has nothing to do with
Microsuk, though they will benefit if you fight it and lose.
I received a private response from another freebsd fan, so here's part
of my response...
He [greg] stated:
This example shows the elm mail reader. This kind of message comes from
a mailer which expects the receiving end
to do paragraph wrapping. Beyond the fact that it is in violation
of RFC 822,
and
We saw in the Internet Standards that there are two basic standards for
message bodies: RFC 822 and MIME. The
default format is the RFC 822 format, and it is called text/plain
in the MIME standards. Mail readers must display
it exactly as transmitted.
And my contention is that RFC822 does not disallow paragraph wrapping,
nor does it require that a *reader* display exactly as transmitted. It
specifically states there is *no* format imposed.
And I'm not trying to piss off you or Greg, or anyone else. I began
using UNIX back in 1985, and I love it. But I think the unix community
should remain open minded and stop appearing so arrogant. Progress
isn't neccessarily good, nor bad. Let's not turn our backs to new
ideas just because they would require change.
Keep in mind that people will accept a wholesale change if it's enough
of a leap forward. People dropped the Apple II quickly when the Mac
appeared. They were willing to lose their investment in the Apple II,
because the Mac was compelling [technology].
It seems everyone's disapproval is based on the fact that the mailer
they've been using for the last 15 years doesn't support it, so it's
rude to use any new idea their mailer doesn't support. I think this is
the road to extinction.
I welcome HTML in mail, just like I welcomed color ink jets...
Unix systems measure "uptime" in years, Winblows measures it in minutes.
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