Top or bottom.... matters less than some think.

[Leonid Mamtchenkov]

* Lorenzo Prince <lorenzo at prince.homelinux.org> [12-Jan-2004 08:53]:
> Therefore, the best way to post is for everyone's message clear enough 
> to stand on their own and maintain context.  This saves space and makes 
> the messages easy to read.  I don't like reading the same thing 15 times 
> anymore than anyone else does.  So it's a win-win situation for all 
> readers, whether their connection is fast or slow.  

Those people who follow the discussion do not usually need to read a
full quote.  They can read few words and then skip to your reply.
Provided, of course, that you mark the quoted text somehow (like '> ').
If, OTOH, you are rewriting part of the original message in your own
words, then they will have to read all of it, since there is no
indication of where is your content and where is original content.

Also, for people not following a discussion and just reading a single
post with quotes marked it is easier, IMHO, since they can confirm that
there understanding is the same is yours.  They can do that because they
have the ORIGINAL wording, not your interpretation.

> And even though I have a cable connection, I don't have the will to
> read the same message 15 times.

Then don't.  That's why it is marked as a quote.  If you know the quote,
why read it? :)

> I'm not saying you need to be an english major in order to send an 
> email, just make your messages clear enough to stand on their own in 
> context without quotes from 3 previous messages, which I see on this 
> list all the time.  

Not only that.  You should leave a place for others to reply to your
message.  Now imagine a long top-posted discussion and a bottom-posting
person.  Where do you think he/she should stick in the text of his/hers
reply? :)  And than think if he/she will reply or just 'd' the message?
:)

> I am not saying that quoting is *all* bad, I just think context is most 
> important, and that it can usually be maintained *without* quoting 3 or 
> more previous messages.

It depends.  But overquoting is a total other problem. :)

-- 
 Leonid Mamtchenkov.
 http://www.leonid.maks.net

BOFH: Sales staff sold a product we don't offer.