top posting, HTML posting and "the closer"

[Thomas Cameron]

On Wed, 2005-03-30 at 22:36 -0500, Mark Weaver wrote:
> bruce wrote:
> > so... if i changed the wikipedia definition to allow top posting, and to say
> > it should be used by everyone, would we all be happy!!!
> > 
> > 
> 
> to my mind I would think that if the majority of list suscribers prefer 
> bottom posting to top posting then common curtosy should be all that is 
> needed here. the rules on HTML mail go without saying. 

Then why are you saying it?  

Sorry, couldn't resist.  :-)

> HTML mail has 
> *no* place in the Linux world for technology lists... period! Zero 
> tolerance... no deposit no return... thats just how it is.

Ah, it is all so clear now - The Rules(TM) according to you.

Why is what you find acceptable any more valid than what I do?  I know
that there is historical convention, but to blithely say that "This Is
The Way It Is" with no authority and unable to cite anything except
suggestions from Usenet doesn't really sway me.

Again, I prefer bottom posting and non-HTML messages, but I think it's
silly to get all wound up about it when someone prefers top posting or
HTML formatted.  It's no skin off my nose and thus far it has presented
no impediment to my reading of their messages.  In the unlikely event
that a message is so badly formatted that I can't read it, hey, the
delete key works just fine on my keyboard.  No reason to get upset.

Cheers,
Thomas