"LISTSERV list owners' forum" <[log in to unmask]> wrote on 
07/07/2005 06:33:55 AM:

> >>I am trying to determine what is the best format to send list
> >>announcements in, should they be sent in HTML or plain text?
> >
> > The best option is to send in HTML and ensure that a plain-text 
> > version is
> > also available in the same e-mail.
> 
> I'm just curious, what is "best" about HTML? I see no use for it in 
> email, and Michael, your email didn't provide any reason for using it.
 
It's prettier.

That's it.  Simple appearance.  But in this day and age, snazzy appearance 
seems to be mandatory.  Content comes second.  I personally hate getting 
newsletters as HTML and one very large computer publication (they publish 
many different technology magazines and have two words in their name) 
switched me to HTML formatted newsletters and I could never get it 
switched back. After several notes back and forth with the online editor 
they gave up, so I unsubscribed from all their electronic and paper 
publications.

The same info is available elsewhere.