On 12/18/97 6:42 AM, John Bachman <[log in to unmask]> wrote...

>I have been watching all the discussion on ways to prevent subscribers from
>posting attachments to the list.  Why do you want to do that?  Are there
>problems created by attachments.

There are many, many reasons.

First, and most importantly, it's an incredible waste of bandwidth.
Multiple a simple 100K file over 1000 subscribers, and all of a sudden
you're sending 100 megabytes through the LISTSERV.

Secondly, the attachment will get converted into a MIME or other
text-based attachment, which only serves to confuse many net novices.

Thirdly, some people - like me, hate getting attachments shoved down
their throats unannounced. Much better to post a web or FTP URL, and if I
want the file, I'll get it myself. Why force your file on all your
subscribers, when you can empower them to get the file themselves if they
ways it. My downloads directory is full of files that I never asked for
and don't want. Every month I clean out over a megabyte of that crap.

Fourthly, many people pay for their connect time - either through online
charges or phone charges. Is it fair to make them pay for an attachment
that they didn't ask for?

Fifthly, many people have become paranoid of attachments because of their
proclivity to contain virii or password sniffers (especially AOL
members). You're causing them unnecessary distress.


For all these reasons, and probably more, it's simply wrong to send
attachments through a list. If your file is so great, they'll get it
themselves if you tell them where to get it. But please don't force it on
them.


--
Adam Bailey      | Chicago, Illinois
-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-=-| "Do not take life too seriously;
[log in to unmask] | you will never get out of it alive."
[log in to unmask]   |  - Elbert Hubbard
Finger for PGP   | http://www.tezcat.com/~adamb