[kde-linux] Re: OT HTML email (was: multi-head: des...)

[Felix Miata]

On 2011/05/15 20:07 (GMT+0200) Jörg von Frantzius composed:

> Felix Miata composed:

>>  Right, HTML formatting, plus two full copies of the actual message ->  an
>>  email message, plus a web page, multiplied by the subscriber count. HTML is
>>  the spammer, Outhouse and Outbreak Excess way to send "email".

> When sending business emails, it's crucial to be able to send tables,
> headings etc.

Tabularity doesn't require HTML. Headings don't need fancy formatting to be 
headings.

> Maybe that's not the case in your business, but in a lot
> of other peoples' it definitely is. So by flaming against HTML emails,
> you are actually working against KDE email clients to be used in
> business, and you're scaring off average desktop users who regard HTML
> email as a totally normal means of electronic communication. There's a
> whole world out there who doesn't see any problem here.

Communication via email doesn't need HTML. If whatever things a sender thinks 
are essential to communication, that can be provided by including in the 
email a link to a web page to be opened in a web browser, especially if that 
email is being sent to a mailing list, and even more particularly if that 
mailing list is available in digest form.

> So what's really the problem here?

Bandwidth, both in conveyance, and in archiving. Wastefulness is bad policy, 
no matter how cheap the resources involved.

> I understood these worries back in the time of mailbox email sending
> in the late 80's. But what's the the problem with this in times of
> youtube?

For one thing, senders of HTML email are typically equally rude as most web 
page designers, formatting text as hard to read mousetype instead of allowing 
preferences to be enjoyed. It wouldn't be so bad if HTML-capable email 
clients didn't default to specifying any text size at all.

Email is about messaging. In most cases, the email message itself is fully 
conveyable without bloating frills.
-- 
"The wise are known for their understanding, and pleasant
words are persuasive." Proverbs 16:21 (New Living Translation)

  Team OS/2 ** Reg. Linux User #211409 ** a11y rocks!

Felix Miata  ***  http://fm.no-ip.com/