Since I am the person whose comment about quotes and signature files prodded
Steve Simon into posting his interest in this topic, I'll take a stab at
answering his concerns:
 
Steve Simon wrote:
 
>apologies to anyone inconvenienced by the discussion of a marginally relevant
>topic.
 
Actually, for a list-owner, this is often of exquisite relevance since
disputes on this question are sometimes lengthy and nasty on some lists. On
the list I run, it was finally agreed (by consensus) that signatures should
not be more than 4 lines long (including frame) and contain only the name,
affiliation and email address of the sender.  That's all you need, isn't it?
 
>                                               My gut reaction (and my wife
>had the same reaction) is "if you don't like it, don't read it; it is at the
>bottom of the message after all".
 
My gut reaction is "why is this person imposing yet more of his/er opinion or
thought on me?"
 
>1.  Is the general objection based on aesthetic principles, or are there
>practical reasons to dislike long signature files (e.g., many users pay for
 
Judging from the dialog on our list, people tend to find big signature files
pompous (and therefore aesthetically unpleasing) and that long signatures also
add lots of bytes for not much bang. And for many netters, bytes = bucks. To
me, long signature files are the first cousins on modern urban graffiti and
loud music at the beeach.
 
>2.  Do all mail systems accurately represent my return address and does the
>average Internet user know how to read the header files to know who sent the
>message?
 
Even if a mailer strips all information about the sender from the header of
mail, does it really take a long signature to tell the name and email address
of the sender? This concern is actually irrelevant.
 
>4.  Is there concern about the potential for sexist or racist comments?
 
These kinds of comments can pop up in any piece of text; if we want to prevent
sexist and racist comments on the net, worrying about signature files will not
do the trick.
 
>5.  Does a long signature file worsen the problem of e-mail overload?  Should
>I strive for e-mail messages that fit in a 25 line screen?
 
Yes. Yes.
 
>6.  Why are you objecting to something that I had taken as institutionalized
>in the Internet world?  Does half of the Internet world irritate the other
>half with their quotes?
 
One sixteenth of the internet world irritates the other fifteen sixteenths.
 
I sent this to the list because I feel that this is indeed a topic of concern
to listowners. If it hasn't come up on your list yet, just wait!
 
Peace,  Anthea Tillyer  ABTHC@CUNYVM    City University of New York