[ILUG] open list abuse

[Rory Browne]

On 9/7/05, Bryan O'Donoghue <typedef at eircom.net> wrote:
> Rory Browne wrote:
> >>Can you give an example where it is better to top-post?
> >
> >
> > Yes, I can.
> >
> > Whether or not I will or not is a different matter, considering that
> > I've already gone to significant length to explain in great detail the
> > circumstances in which top-posting is better, as well as
> > acknowledging, that there are circumstances where bottom-posting is
> > better.
> 
> Though to be fair.
> 
> Considering the number of people who troll the state sanctioned McView
> of top posting... it occurs to me, that it's much less hassle to bottom
> post, even if it goes against one's religous beliefs.
> 
> Personally I'm agonstic on the subject...
> 
> Actually scratch that... I *do* believe that bottom posting makes for a
> more consistent flow of email... even though, I'll be the first to
> admit... nay shout from the rafters... just how /badly/ the axe weilders
> make their points.
> 
> As an aside, whilst the bottom posting arguments are in my opinion
> correct... such ideological views invariably attract the very worst
> sorts of trolls.... people who in a different life, wanted to be traffic
> cops.
> 
> And invariably, the sort of people who /want/ to become traffic cops are
> the very /last/ people society wants to do it.
> 
> So I sympathise with just how /wrong/ it feels to be /told/ from on high
> how to use *email* .... but I do happen to agree that top posting is the
> vestage of the ape... and the Red hat convert.
> 
> --
> "Fiery the angels fell. Deep thunder rolled around their shores, burning
> with the fires of Orc." -- Roy Batty, Blade Runner.
> 

Fair enough Brian, but if you're telling me that the argument against
top-posting is simply badly made, then feel free to explain it more
clearly. Just for the record, are you still reading this?

Would you still read this, if there were 10 more messages above
this(assuming your MUA doesn't have a "hide quoted text feature")?
What if this was a longer message(say 15 paragraphs), that you
couldn't simply scroll to the bottom, and had to figure out where the
actual message started?