Evolution

[Alan McKinnon]

On Saturday 27 May 2006 23:55, Thiers Botelho wrote:
> I think that a mailing list - more so if it is a high-traffic one
> like this - is a fine opportunity for accomodating different points
> of view and different levels of general tolerance, so either top or
> bottom posting are equally welcome.

No.

A mailing list like this is the very place where bottom post rules 
MUST be enforced. If two folk are having a personal chit-chat over 
email it doesn't matter where the answer is. Lists are different - 
they are archived for all to see in the future and people also come 
into the conversation late and need to figure out the flow.

Bottom posting:
> > > > Hi Joe!
> > > Oh, hello Bob
> > You going to the game on Saturday?
> Yes, I'll pick you up at 6.

Anyone can understand it, it flows like a book. 

Top posting:

> Yes, I'll pick you up at 6.
> > You going to the game on Saturday?
> > > Oh, hello Bob
> > > > Hi Joe!

Somewhat understandable, if you spot the quote marks are in bottom-up 
order. But this forces you to read upside down.

What you are suggesting is that intermingled posting is OK. This gives 
you:

> > You going to the game on Saturday?
> Yes, I'll pick you up at 6
> > > > Hi Joe!
> > > Oh, hello Bob!

Now try and figure this out. See how you can't easily do it? Take a 
long involved thread with specific answers to specific points and it 
becomes a mess.

Every single aspect and difficulty of posting was already observed and 
thrashed out many years ago in the first three months of Usenet. This 
list works the same way as Usenet and bottom posting is the only 
thing that works. Good grief, I can't believe this still comes up for 
discussion, it's like some idiot in the room trying to defend why 
he's driving on the opposite side of the road as everyone else.

-- 
If only me, you and dead people understand hex, 
how many people understand hex?

Alan McKinnon
alan at linuxholdings dot co dot za
+27 82, double three seven, one nine three five