OT: HTML email (was: gnome desktop backround)

[Jon Haugsand]

* seanlkml at sympatico.ca
> HTML is not a universal WYSIWYG (what you see is what you get)
> HTML and the 'equivalent' text of a MIME message may not be equal
> HTML can Carry mixed character sets unnoticed by the sender
>  - Why are any of these a concern?

Because the message is read differently by different readers.

> 
> HTML permits volatile external content references
>  - In fact many plain text messages provide links to external content,
>    in fact *your* plain text message included a URL to external content!
>    This "reason" doesn't pass the smell test.
> 
> HTML can carry text that is problematic to index / search
>  - Huh?  The entire web is based on HTML and google indexes it just fine

Local search becomes problematic.  _My_ local search at least.  My
email agent doesn't like html.


> HTML facilitates spammers
> HTML facilitates spyware
> HTML rich content hobbles off line interaction.
>  - How?  I receive HTML email from family members, no problem.

Why is this an an issue?


> 
> HTML facilitates virus payloads (at work some of must use WindowZ)
>  - Sucks, but is not the senders problem, its yours and your companies.
>    In fact, viruses infected files can be attached to plain text
>    messages just as easily, a properly configured client won't be
>    at risk in either case.
> 
> HTML permits you to get fired by triggering pornographic references
>  "censorware" to catch employees trying to access "bad" sites
>  that corporate filters trigger, i.e. trigger HTTP proxy
>  (porn, hate sites, hacking sites, etc)
>   -  This is just laughable

It is not.  If html is banned in serious email, mailing lists and on
the Usenet news, you could just filter out _all_ html and therefore
illegal content without the risk.

> 
> HTML messages are 2 to 50+ times larger than the equivalent text
>  - This seems like the only issue that has any real weight behind it
>    and since the list is voluntary....  If this is such a big problem
>    why doesn't RedHat filter HTML email rather than putting up with all
>    the bandwidth consumed talking about it?   In fact, why respond
>    on-list asking people to stop posting in HTML if this is the issue?

Good idea.

-- 
Jon Haugsand
  Dept. of Informatics, Univ. of Oslo, Norway, mailto:jonhaug at ifi.uio.no
  http://www.ifi.uio.no/~jonhaug/, Phone: +47 22 85 24 92