Well, I will add one vote to the plain text side. I use a dinosaur of a system and a mail reader (mush on a unix shell) and I like them. Its FAST, I use the keyboard and don't have to chase rodents across the screen, and it does what I tell it to do, not what some GUI programmer decided was the way they thought it should work. It wraps lines where I want to, not where the GUI wants to. And I have a powerful & flexible editor to use (well, its vi but at least its a "real" editor). For the benefit of the HTML proponents, here is what I see in those messages: On Feb 1, 6:59pm, "Stephen C. Nill, J.D." wrote: } Subject: Re: Stopping HTML, and attachments } --=====================_23914855==_.ALT } Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" } } I'm late to this thread but thought since I have an exactly opposite } view to the views expressed on this thread, I might as well stick my neck out. } I absolutely love emails that utilize HTML because they can provide a richness } to the communication that plain text cannot. } } Pet Weiss did the best job of succinctly summarizing reasons why so } many } listowners seem to abhor HTML in emails, so I might was well pick on his } replies: } } Pete Weiss wrote: } } >Because: } > } >1) some email clients sent simultaneous straight ASCII AND HTMLized text: } >the recipients certainly don't need to receive both } } But this format allows an email client to read the message, either in } its living color version (HTML) complete with various fonts, colors and sizes, } or, if an older client, in its straight text version. } } >2) some email clients don't understand HTML } } I don't know the percentage, but it must be small and growing } smaller by } the day. Gad, folks can get Netscape or Explorer for free! } } The question is, do we dumb down everybody else for the sake of a few } behind-the-curve subscribers? Or do we move forward with the technology and } all that it promises? } } >3) archives become greatly expanded } } The growth of archives due to HTML is miniscule as compared with the } ever-expanding disk drive sizes. I just picked up a 12 Gig hard drive for } $250. It would take years and years of archiving just to fill it up even half } way (okay, I didn't actually do the math so if you want to nail me here, go for } it). } } >4) many folks would sooner not have attachments since they may not be } >able to process them } } Again, why dumb down the works for the sake of a few who refuse to keep } up? } } Well, just thought I'd stir the old pot. Kinda needed the break. ;-) } } } Stephen C. Nill, J.D. } [log in to unmask] } } AMERICAN PHILANTHROPY REVIEW } 30021 Tomas Street, Suite 300 } Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 USA } Telephone: 949-589-5938 } Facsimile: 949-589-4399 } Editorial Office: [log in to unmask] } List Editors: [log in to unmask] } Book Review Editors: [log in to unmask] } Business Office: [log in to unmask] } } http://CharityChannel.com } } For information on our Internet discussion forums, visit } http://CharityChannel.com/Forums } } --=====================_23914855==_.ALT } Content-Type: text/html; charset="us-ascii" } } <html> } <x-tab> </x-tab><tt><font face="Courier New, Courier" size=7 color="#800000">I</font></b></tt>'m } late to this thread but thought since I have an exactly <i>opposite } </i>view to the views expressed on this thread, I might as well stick my } neck out. I absolutely love emails that utilize HTML because they } can provide a richness to the communication that plain text cannot. } <br> } <br> } <x-tab> </x-tab>Pet Weiss } did the best job of succinctly summarizing reasons why so many listowners } seem to abhor HTML in emails, so I might was well pick on his } replies:<br> } <br> } Pete Weiss wrote:<br> } <br> } <font color="#0000FF"><i>>Because:<br> } ><br> } >1) some email clients sent simultaneous straight ASCII AND HTMLized } text:<br> } >the recipients certainly don't need to receive both<br> } <br> } </font></i><x-tab> </x-tab>But } this format allows an email client to read the message, either in its } living color version (HTML) complete with various fonts, colors and } sizes, or, if an older client, in its straight text version. <br> } <br> } <font color="#0000FF"><i>>2) some email clients don't understand } HTML<br> } <br> } </font></i><x-tab> </x-tab>I } don't know the percentage, but it must be small and growing smaller by } the day. Gad, folks can get Netscape or Explorer for free! } <br> } <br> } <x-tab> </x-tab>The } question is, do we dumb down everybody else for the sake of a few } behind-the-curve subscribers? Or do we move forward with the } technology and all that it promises?<br> } <br> } <font color="#0000FF"><i>>3) archives become greatly expanded<br> } <br> } </font></i><x-tab> </x-tab>The } growth of archives due to HTML is miniscule as compared with the } ever-expanding disk drive sizes. I just picked up a 12 Gig hard } drive for $250. It would take years and years of archiving just to } fill it up even half way (okay, I didn't actually do the math so if you } want to nail me here, go for it).<br> } <br> } <font color="#0000FF">>4) many folks would sooner not have attachments } since they may not be<br> } >able to process them<br> } <br> } </font><x-tab> </x-tab>Again, } <u>why dumb down the works</u> for the sake of a few who refuse to keep } up? <br> } <br> } <x-tab> </x-tab>Well, just } thought I'd stir the old pot. Kinda needed the break. } <font color="#FF0000">;-)<br> } <br> } </font><br> } <div><x-tab> </x-tab>Stephen } C. Nill, J.D.</div> } <div><x-tab> </x-tab>[log in to unmask]</div> } <br> } <div>AMERICAN PHILANTHROPY REVIEW</div> } <div>30021 Tomas Street, Suite 300</div> } <div>Rancho Santa Margarita, CA 92688 USA</div> } <div>Telephone: 949-589-5938</div> } <div>Facsimile: 949-589-4399</div> } <div>Editorial Office: [log in to unmask]</div> } <div>List Editors: [log in to unmask]</div> } <div>Book Review Editors: [log in to unmask]</div> } <div>Business Office: [log in to unmask]</div> } <br> } <div><a href="http://charitychannel.com/" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://CharityChannel.com</a></div> } <br> } <div>For information on our Internet discussion forums, visit </div> } <div><x-tab> </x-tab><a href="http://charitychannel.com/Forums" EUDORA=AUTOURL>http://CharityChannel.com/Forums</a></div> } </html> } } --=====================_23914855==_.ALT-- }-- End of excerpt from "Stephen C. Nill, J.D." -- Rich Greenberg Work: PM0RMG atsign WSPVM1.worldspan.com +1 770-563-6656 N6LRT Marietta, GA, USA Play: richgr atsign netcom.com +1 770-321-6507 Eastern time. I speak for myself & my dogs only. VM'er since CP-67 Canines:Val(Chinook,CGC,TT),Red(Husky,(RIP)),Shasta(Husky,TT) Owner:Chinook-L Atlanta Siberian Husky Rescue. Adopt a homeless Husky. Asst Owner:Sibernet-L